All Those Broken Memories
by Raiden Miosaki
Summary: What if you had a clean slate? If everyone you ever knew, completely forgot about you? Would you have the same friends? Enemies? Would that one person fall for you all over again..? Or would it all turn for the worst?
1. Fallen Memories

They say when you're about to die, your entire life flashes before your eyes. Your childhood, every scarring event, everything that has ever happened to you, flashes by in the last few seconds you have on the earth.

Whoever came up with that was either, stupid, a liar, or maybe it all happens differently for different people.  
But I know that when my life was about to end, I don't remember seeing those unimportant childhood events, or anything like that.  
You only see that one main thing.  
The single most important thing in your life.  
I remembered what that thing was.

When I heard that shot, and I heard the whistle of that bullet racing towards me, all I saw, was _him.  
_I suddenly remembered his face, his smile those blue eyes.  
That accent he had when he spoke my language.  
Everything about him. That's what I saw.

But there was a funny thing about death, or near death, more likely.  
Just when you think you've accepted it, just when you start to think that it might be okay to just lay down and die.

That was the moment when it got all twisted up.

Before I could even blink, I found myself on the ground, shoved aside right to the ground, hard.  
That was the first crash I had heard.  
Then there was a skin piercing sound. The clean sound of a bullet breaking the skin and piercing the body.

Then. The second crash.  
The body falling to the ground, hitting it without a second thought, or even a first thought for that matter. The body didn't think it just followed instinct.

I could hear my heart pounding loudly.  
I blinked many times before I could see clearly what was going on.

Where I'd been standing, was a body, a cold still body, of someone I knew all too well.  
A knot formed in my throat, and every possible bad scenario ran through my head.

"Francis!" His name finally escaped my lips.  
I threw myself to his side. But he was still.

"Francis! You bloody idiot! Wake up! Wake up now!"

…No answer.  
My head could hardly comprehend what was going on.  
My eyes finally looked down his body, and I could see where the bullet had hit.

Right through the stomach.

_It's not serious. It's not serious. It's not serious. Theres no way he can be seriously hurt. _

I kept thinking those words over and over and over again, but no matter how many times I managed to think it, I knew they weren't true.  
If they were true. Why was he so still? Why was he so cold?

My point was officially proven wrong with blood started to soak the dirt around his body.

"Oh god.. no.. no please, god no.." I started to mutter.

"F-Francis..?" I shook his shoulder.  
Those blue eyes finally flew open, and he took a shaky breath, that sent blood shooting right from his mouth, leaving him in a fit of choking, and coughing up his own blood.

"O-oui…?" Francis finally let a word escape his bloodied lips.

"A-Angleterre..?"

His calm tone calmed me down slightly as well.

"Yes, Francis..?"  
I managed to keep myself from choking on sobs and breaking down.

"J-Je'taime.."

He said that, it was barely hear-able, his voice kept growing softer and softer.

Tears ran down my face, and I gently lifted his head, and laid it down on my lap, and I gently stroked his dirt covered hair.  
I slowly detangled it with my fingers, listening to him softly struggle with his own breath.

I took a deep breath. I couldn't cry. I wouldn't. I didn't want France to see me like that.  
I looked at him, again.  
Those blue eyes… he was trying so hard to keep them open, but they kept drooping farther and farther down.

The tears on my face started streaming down faster and faster, but I kept them silent.  
I leaned down softly, and with my own trembling lips, I kissed him gently.  
I wrapped my arms around his neck, and kept my forehead pressed against him, and then his breath slowly faded out, and his body went completely cold, and still.

That was when I lost it.  
"Francis…" I muttered his name.  
I wrapped my arms around his body, not caring that his blood was getting all over my clothes.

"N-no.. wake up…"  
I shook him again, but I knew he wasn't going to listen. He'd stopped moving completely.  
I started to break down. I had no reason to keep calm anymore.

"Francis… I-I… I love you too.."  
No answer.

"Y-you...m-moron… why? You should have let me die!" My tone had started from sadness, then switched to anger, and switched right back as I choked on another sob.

He had thrown himself right in front of me, without even thinking it through.  
He'd saved me.  
And for what?  
I didn't even deserve it after all that I'd done to him!

I hadn't even had the courage to tell him that I loved him back during his last few minutes of life. I'd waited too late for that, I'd said it when I knew that he couldn't hear me.

I kept on calling to him, muttering softly to myself... I was in denial, but in the back of my mind, I knew he wouldn't talk ever again, and I'd never see those bright beautiful blue eyes, that I secretly loved so much... I'd never see him...

I got no answer, just like I knew I wouldn't.

…

"Arthur!" Someone shook me.

"Arthur!"

Suddenly, my eyes flashed open, and by reflex, I knocked the person who was shaking me away from me, off the bed.  
I could feel the tears streaming down my face, and I was trembling softly.

It took a moment, but the voice, now timid, called my name again.  
"A-Arthur..?"

The small British boy peeked over my bed, looking at me with those confused, sad blue eyes.

I sighed, gesturing him towards me.

He slipped under the blankets, and made his way towards me from underneath.

I quickly wiped the tears that were left on my face away.

The boy finally made it to where I was, grabbing my arm, and wrapping it around himself.

My tense body finally loosened, and I turned to my side, putting my other arm willingly around him.  
Though, we fought, we loved each other when it came down to it.

"Arthur… what's the matter, you were crying again." The small boy looked at me with his scared eyes.  
I ruffled his hair gently, and kissed him on the forehead.

"Don't worry, Love. It was just another dream. Nothing that I'll be able to remember once morning comes."

"Now… don't be hanging around with me.. go back to bed."  
He shook his head a little.

"No..I'm staying here." Peter informed, closing his eyes.

I didn't argue. The thought of company was nice.  
Plus, this wasn't the first time he'd come to my room, and climbed into bed with me.  
He often came into the room because he was worried about me.

Worried because I'd had "another dream".  
Dreams wouldn't be so bad.

But what Peter didn't understand was. That dream that I'd had. It wasn't just a dream.

It was a memory.  
A forgotten memory. One only _I_ could remember.

_A/N: Okay. This is a new idea. The next chapter will be a little confusing, because the idea is just little complex. But it's easy to understand once you think about it. Plus, there will be hints and explanations. Focusing on /this/ chapter. What do you think? Review, please? *Cutesy anime girl eyes*  
Thanks for reading~! _


	2. Don't Talk To Strangers

-ARTHUR-

"Arthur, Arthur, Arthuuuur~"

My eyes slowly fluttered open, and I found Peter tugging at my sleeve at the side of my bed. He was all dressed in his school uniform.

"You don't want to be late, do you?" He laughed his innocent laugh.  
"It's you who always lectures _me _about first impressions. And you can't help your impression if you're late for the first day of school, can you?"

I looked at him, and he just gave me another one of his cheerful smiles.  
I sat up in bed and ruffled the small boy's hair.  
He couldn't remember our past rivalry from back when we were nations, his memories had been replaced with the thoughts of an innocent boy, and I had to humor him.

Over months where everything had went downhill, I'd gotten used to his presents, and I'd actually come to enjoy it.  
It reminded me of my years of being a brother to America.

America.. I hadn't seen him since _it _had happened.  
I wondered if I'd see him anytime soon… and I wondered what he would be like.  
After seeing Sealand reduced to a clueless young boy, I wasn't sure what to expect anymore.

After Peter left the room, I dressed in my uniform.  
It was my first time actually getting into a school.  
I was nervous.  
I didn't know what it was going to be like there. And would I be able to adjust to it?

Suddenly, _he_ crossed my mind again.  
I closed my eyes, taking it in again.  
I remembered his last words to me, and I remembered how I'd been too scared to tell him how I felt even when he was lying there, life slowly fading from his body.

He'd died for me.. and I hadn't even given a single "thank you".

"Francis.." I muttered under my breath.  
"I'm so sorry.."

All those memories.. I kind of wished mine had been wiped clean like Peter's.  
It would be a lot less painful for me, if it had happened like that.  
But no..  
But that's why I'd done what I did.

To take back what I'd done. To be able to have a second chance..  
I would find him…

"Arthur!" Peter broke into the room again, just as I finished throwing all my things into my backpack.  
"Are you going to walk me to the bus stop?" He asked, loudly, in his cheerful voice.

"Blimey.. you scared me.." I sighed.

"All right, lets go."

Peter ran over to my side, and grabbed hold of my hand, dragging me behind him.  
A small smile tugged at the end of my lip.

I followed the smaller boy, right out the door, and he started leading me to his bus stop, humming to himself, half skipping.  
He was so sweet…  
I wondered if he was like this back when they were nations together, and I'd just been to blind to see who he actually was.

Great.. yet, another thing I'd have to feel guilty about.  
Okay… I'd done this.. I done it to leave everything behind.  
I just had to forget… let myself forget like everyone else had.

But how could I forget when so many forgotten memories floated through my head?

Was I truly the only one remembering it?

The air was still slightly warm, though it was fall now. It wasn't hot. Or cold really, a calming wind blew through the air. It was actually kinda nice..

"Hey look, Arthur! His uniform matches yours~"

Peter's voice pulled me from my thoughts.  
I looked up, and standing by the bus stop, was a blonde boy holding the hand of a small blonde girl, wearing a ribbon.

No.. they weren't.. they looked just like…  
Vash and Lili?

"Hallo~!" Lili smiled a sweet smiling waving to Peter and I, who stopped walking, and stood by the bus stop.

"Lili.. don't talk to strangers." Vash muttered under his breath towards his younger sister.  
"It's okay, big bruder. See? He goes to the same school as me, and he goes to the same school as you."

She pointed out the matching uniform.

Vash, who was clearly just as uptight as he was before, shrugged giving into his little sister's logic.

Peter and Lili started excitedly talking, as if they knew each other, leaving me and Vash standing there awkwardly, only to sneak a look at the other every once in awhile, only to be caught by the other person.

What did this mean? If Vash was at the same school as me… did that mean there would be others?  
Did my spell finally prove to do something right?

"Wait, this is first year at the school?" Lili and Peter continued their conversation.  
"Yup!" Peter nodded, smiling.

"I-I'll show you around you'd like.." She said timidly.

"That would be great, thanks, Mate!" Peter smiled, and Lili smiled back timidly.  
The bus pulled up.

"O-oh.. that's the bus."  
Lili pulled at her older brother's uniform sleeve, until he kneeled down to her size.

"Bye, big bruder~" She said, softly, and she kissed him on the cheek.

Vash ruffled her hair, and then looked at her seriously.

"Remember Lili, don't talk to strangers, and be careful around boys, especially _that _one." He told her, pointing at Peter.

Lili blinked, and nodded, then listened to her brother talk for another 30 seconds.

"Blimey.. he sets a lot of ground rules." Peter said, grabbing onto my arm to get my attention.  
I shrugged.

"That's because he just loves her a lot." I told him.

I kneeled down to his height as well, and gave him the same serious glare that Vash was giving Lili.  
"Now, don't do anything stupid. I don't want to have to come to your aid and pick up all the bloody pieces."

Peter nodded.

"All right~! I got it!"  
"Shake on it?"

He grabbed my hand his smaller hand, and we shook hands on it.

"Come on, Lili, the bus is waiting for us!" He said, and he grabbed Lili's hand, pulling her away from Vash.

As she was pulled by Peter, she turned back a little bit, and waved softly.  
"Bye, big bruder." She giggled, and then ran picked up the pace to be able to keep up with Peter.

Both me ,and Vash watched the bus until it drove away.

I didn't know what to say to him. It was weird that I knew his name, and he'd never told me…  
well… at least _he believed_ he'd never told me.  
Did he remember anything from before, or was his memory completely wiped clean like Peter?

I started walking, and of course he followed behind me because we went to the same school.  
I waited for his to introduce himself, but he didn't he just slowly followed behind me with his hands in his pockets completely silent.  
So even though I hated to, I had to start the conversation.

"Uh… I'm Arthur.. and you?" I shrugged, not being able to think of a better way to say it.

"Vash.." He answered, nonchalantly.

He said nothing more to me, and I said nothing more to him.  
It was as simple as that.  
The only thing we most likely had in common was the fact that we had to drop our younger siblings off at the bus stop every morning.

…

The entire school ground was covered in students talking and running about.  
Some of them were heading up the school steps, and heading into the tall building, that was the school.

My heart began to pound all over again.  
Was this the day I'd finally see Francis again? After all the waiting I'd done?  
Was he going to remember me?

I found myself thinking _so_ hard about it, that I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, and suddenly, I found myself bumping into someone, and crashing down to the ground.

"Veeeeh!?" A higher pitched voice cried out, and he fell onto the sidewalk as well.

"Did'a you just _seriously _knock him over? I am's _so_ punching your ear!" An aggressive Italian voice growled.

"Its'a okay, Fratello~! It didn't hurt that'a much." Informed the higher voice again.

"Loviiii~ it's mean to beat up random students." Came a soothing Spanish voice.  
"Hmph.."

I looked up slowly, and a small-ish cheerful Italian boy holding his hand out to be.  
"Ve~ are you okay?" He asked, smiling.

That hair… that constant annoying use of "Ve" …that accent.  
Italy..?

"Oh.. sorry about that." I accepted his hand, and he pulled me out.  
"I wasn't paying attention." I informed.

I looked over to see an overly cheerful Spanish boy, and another Italian boy, who was glaring at me.

Italy, Spain, And Romano?  
"Fratello, its'a all good~ he didn't mean to knock into me."  
"I don't'a trust this guy.." Lovino informed his younger brother.

"Hola~ I'm Antonio." Antonio extended his hand to me, smiling his usual innocently happy smiles.

Never had I been so happy to see my enemies..  
weirdly enough.  
It made me feel more certain that I was going to see Francis again.

**A/N: Okay~ So I know it's gotta be kinda confusing to you guys~ I'm going to point out something that most of you have most likely already figured out.  
Everyone's memory is wiped, and replaced with the memories of modern day highschool, or middle school students, or whatever. They all think they have different lives. Though, they've kept their personalities as you can see. Everyone is going to be like that, except Arthur, I've made this point before. More will be revealed about this later. If you guys think you know whats going on, then review and tell me about it, I want to see what you guys think of it.  
Also, this story will take place in five different main POVS, involving three different pairings. More later~ thanks for all the follows, favorites, and reviews. I hope to hear from all you motherFrUkers later, in a review. Thanks for reading~! **


	3. Introductions

I was never one for introductions.  
I found it stupid that you had to step in front of the class, and introduce yourself.  
Who the hell cared?  
If they really wanted to know who you were, they'd ask directly.

But instead you're put on the spot.  
Forced into telling the whole class about yourself.  
Forcing it on them.

It was all really stupid to me. But it at least let me get a good look at the class.

This was it.. almost everyone in the room was someone I knew.  
I saw Vash, who I'd run into earlier.  
Roderich, Elizabeta.  
Feli, Mattie and Alfred-

Mattie and Alfred.  
My eyes stopped on the twin brothers who sat next to each other. Mattie's face buried in a text book, Alfred looking nonchalant, chewing at the end of his pencil.

I felt my heart pounding hard.  
It had been so long since I'd seen them.  
I had to keep myself from calling their names. I remembered that I wasn't supposed to know them.

"Aiyah.. please don't just stand there. You need to get on with what you're going to say, or take your seat, aru!"

I was tapped on the shoulder, and I realized… that rough tone of voice.  
The use of the word "aru" … China?!

I couldn't believe that I hadn't noticed the small Chinese man before. But I looked over to the side where I'd been tapped.  
I realized I hadn't been wrong.  
There he was. He looked exactly the same as before, only now he wasn't dressed in his Chinese clothing.  
He was dressed like… a teacher?

All of us were students, and Yao was the teacher?  
I stared at him for a moment. And he had a confused look on his face.

He shrugged, and rolled his eyes, dismissing me, probably figuring that I was shy, or something.

The short man wrote his name on the board.

"Mr. Yao~" He said.

"You will address me as such, you will not call me just "Yao" you will not call me "Mr. Y", aru. You will address with as Mr. Yao, and nothing else. Understood?"

The class nodded.  
"Questions?"

Alfred hand shot up.  
Yao pointed to him, letting him know that he could speak.

"Yes, aru?"

"Dude… you're like… really short." He informed.  
For some odd reason, this made the class abrupt in laughter.

Yao crossed his arms, and glared.  
But he could barely be taken seriously.  
His face was young, and "cute" some might say.  
He had a childish look, even though he was older than all of us, and it wasn't just because of his height.  
He just looked young.

"Hai~ he's _is _short… do you rike.. need someone to help you back to the middle school crass-room?" Kiku joined in Alfred's teasing.

"K..Kiku!" Yao hissed under his breath, obviously annoyed at his brother for joining in on the mild teasing.

The class laughed again, even though Kiku's comment hadn't been clever, or well thought-out.

"You know~? Shortness originated in South Korea~ Da ze!" Im Yong Soo added at the last minute.

Yao took a few seconds to take a deep breath, in order to keep himself from snapping at the class.

"Well… does anyone have any _real _questions, aru?" He sighed.

The class went silent. All their so called "questions" were just going to be remarks on his childish features.

"All right then. Then lets get started."

With this, the Chinese teacher started on a long drawn out lecture on geography.

Who knew that China would be a geography teacher of all things… it was weird to think about.

Alfred, I noticed wasn't paying attention to the class at all.  
While, Matthew looked at Yao intently the whole time, his violet eyes, completely interested.

I wondered what went wrong with Alfred…  
Oh.. that's right. _I _raised him.  
Somehow I'd managed to mess that up, like I messed up a lot of things.

…

We sat through several more boring classes.  
All I could think about the whole time was talking to Alfred.  
It had been ages since I talked to him, and every time there was a pause in between classes, he seemed busy, talking to his classmates, completely dismissing me every single time.

The lunch bell rung, and I once again tried to approach Alfred, but he brushed me off.  
Not even realizing he was doing so. He was just so wrapped up in other things, that he couldn't take the time to notice me.  
I groaned tired of the whole thing, and decided to just walk over to him and talk to him.  
And I found myself bumping into someone, for the second time that day.

Today just wasn't my day.

"E-eh!? S…sorry, Arthur.." A shy voice rang out softly.

I knew the voice right away.  
I looked up, and I noticed the timid Canadian boy was on the floor beside me. We'd both collided, and ended up on the floor.

Wait.  
The hell..? Had he just said my name.

"M-Mattie!?" I demanded.  
He knew me!?  
Did he remember before? Was I not the only one who remembered all the stuff from before?

"O..oui…" He stuttered.  
"H-how do you know my name?"

My hopes were suddenly drained.  
He didn't know me after all..

"I should be bloody asking the same damn question… how do you know _mine,_ git?" I demanded.  
Answering his question with a question.

The Canadian was startled by my sharp tone.  
Hell, even I was startled by my sharp tone.

Being around all my old friends again.. I guess it was bringing back the old me. The old me had been pretty harsh.

I had to admit to myself that over the months I'd gone pretty soft, with Peter and all.

"I..I heard you.. t-trying to introduce yourself to my brother… t-twice…" He informed, seeming a bit flustered, and still startled.

"I-I get it… I know what it's like to be ignored…" He said the last part even quieter than the rest of the sentence, and suddenly I felt bad for snapping at him.

He stood brushing himself off.  
"I-I'll be more careful about running into things.. I-I guess… I-I'm pretty clumsy!" He giggled nervously.

"No…sorry.. that was my fault. Sorry for snapping. I'm Arthur. I guess you knew that.."

I extended my hand to Mattie, who was slightly shorter than me, and he was just as timid as ever.  
He was slightly hesitant about taking my hand.  
"O..oui.." He nodded, smiling lightly.

"I-I could introduce you to Al… if you want."

I was about to accept his offer when I stopped because I heard a familiar voice.

"Mattie! You're ready, ja? Kesesese~ come on! You promised to have lunch with us!"

"Y-Yeah.." The nervous Canadian giggled, throwing his books into his bag.

I guess I wouldn't be getting introduced to Alfred anytime soon, with Mattie running off.

"Gilbert! I Thought zhat I told you not to be pressuring 'im! Take as much time as you're needing, amour~"

I froze.  
That voice.  
I swung around, and what I thought was instantly proven.  
There, standing right next to Gilbert and Antonio… was the person who I'd waited and waited to see.

The person I saw in my dreams every night.  
Francis..

**A/N: Sorry.. this chapter was short~ but yeah. Obviously, Arthur is going to meet Francis in the next chapter! I decided against adding other POVs.  
I'm just going to leave the whole thing in Arthur's.  
Review, favorite, and follow? .3.  
Idunevenknow! I'm not proud of this chapter~ but it's an update, right? Thanks for all the support so far, guise! Until the next chapter~**


	4. Still The Same

"Everyone out! Why are you all lingering in the class, aru!? It's lunch period, now go!" Yao snapped, he was obviously new at teaching, and didn't have much patience for older students.

All the teens we taking their sweet time to get out of the class room, and that irritated him.

"Geez. Aniki is being such a tight-ass." Li Xiao Chun whined.  
"You know, being a tight-ass originated in South Korea." Im Yong Soo added to the conversation.

"Shut up~" Li Xiao Chun rolled his eyes.  
They both still stood in front of their brother, who had a very exasperated expression locked onto his face.  
He was most likely wondering why his siblings had to pick now of all times to tear him down.

"I… am… not… a tight-ass, aru!" Yao snapped again, an anger mark appearing on his forehead.

The two siblings laughed, they got a kick of annoying their older brother, that much was obvious.

"Nyet~ he's not." Ivan, stepped in front of Li Xiao Chun and Im Yong Soo, to face the Chinese teacher, who looked like a child compared to most people, but, compared to Ivan he looked smaller than usual.

"He is not being so bad~ I think he's kind of cute, da?"

The teacher's child-like face was suddenly brushed across with light blush.  
Then he lightly shoved Ivan.

"You are a kid, aru! Call _other _kids cute, and not your teacher! Now once again, everyone. Move on, Lunch period has only 20 minutes left."

While everyone cleared the room, I was left there not realizing that I was had still had my eyes locked onto Francis like he a target of some sort, the entire time.

"Uh…" The Frenchman furrowed his brow, confused as to why I kept looking at him the way I was.

"Do we know each othzer, mon ami?" He asked, with that heavy accent that I'd missed so much.

"Yes—I mean… no… sorry… I suppose we bloody don't… wanker…"  
I added the insult at the end by force of habit.  
I was just so used to insulting him, that it came off, like, as if it was automatic.

Where I had expected Francis to be put off by the insult I'd randomly thrown at him, he just chuckled lightly at me.

"Ohonhonhon~! You are seeming as if you 'ave a very… open vocabulary."

"…Yes, I suppose." I shrugged.  
I headed for the door, because Yao was gesturing us to leave.

Francis's friend's had already left, knowing he'd know where to find them.  
Francis followed behind me, having been gestured out of the empty class room as well.

"Hm.. you are from Angleterre, non?"

_I'm not /from/ England.  
I bloody /am/ England! Why can't you notice already, fool? _

I found my thoughts were already frustrated.  
When I'd cast out the spell, it had been spur of the moment. I had no idea that it would actually work. Nor did I know _how _it would work.  
I'd just jumped at the chance of seeing Francis again, after what had happened.

"Yes, yes. I'm from England." I shrugged him off, and kept walking not expecting him to follow me.  
But of course…he did.  
So many months without seeing him.. I'd forgotten how his mind worked.  
Taking my lunch from my bag, and my copy of Alice In Wonderland, I headed outside, where I wouldn't be bothered by the other students.

"Why are you following me, Frog?" I asked, sitting in the grass.

"Frog?" Francis chuckled.  
"Is _zhat _what you're going to call me, _Angleterre?" _

...What the hell… had he just called me?

"Why in the bloody hell would you call me by the name of my homeland!? My name is Arthur, Bloody Frog…"

There was no possible way he remembered calling me "Angleterre" back from before.  
And if he didn't remember me from before, why in hell would he call me by the name of a country?

"…I don't know why, really." He shrugged.  
"it has a nice ring to it. Reminds moi of somezhing.. I can't exactly remember vhat…does it annoy you?"

"Y…yes…" I nodded, crossing my arms, and turning my head.  
The name Angleterre had always annoyed me before.  
My name was bloody England!  
Not some French word that meant the same thing.  
I'd always wanted him to call me the _English word _for England.

But noooo… it'd always been "Angleterre" . It annoyed me!  
And yet, when he called me "Arthur" instead, it almost let me down. It had become a pet-name.

"Good." He nodded to my answer.  
"If you're going to try and annoy moi~ zhen I'm going to try and annoy you back."

...Why the hell was my heart pounding?  
Even in this blasted setting Francis hadn't changed a bit.  
"J-Jerk!" I pouted.  
"I-I hate you.."

Francis merely chuckled, and extended a hand, ruffling my hair.

"Hm? If zhats zhe case _now, _I suppose you'll _really _hate me once you get to know me."

He turned and held a hand up in the air, not bothering to turn around again, but still managing to nonchalantly wave good-bye to me.  
"See you around, _Angleterre." _

* * * * *

"And after that! Lili, Raivis, and I ran out into the streets! It made our teacher really mad, and—"

"That's wonderful, Peter." I shrugged, cutting him off, not looking up from my homework, or really listening to the child's story.

"Wonderful?" Peter furrowed his brow, pouting.  
"It was far from wonderful. We got a nasty scolding."

"I see." I nodded, still not looking up, or listening at all.

"Don't you have homework to do?" I added.  
Peter frowned.

"I do, but it's tricky! Can you help me?" He asked hopeful.

"Not now." I answered nonchalantly again.

"B-but I—"  
"Ask me later, Peter! Now would you just bloody leave me alone for a couple of minutes?" I snapped.

Peter's eyes widened when I snapped at him.  
It wasn't something I did all that often. I tried to avoid being harsh with him, but at the moment I had more important things on my mind.

"Sorry…" He hung his head and left the room.

With Peter out of the way, my thoughts were able to drift back over to Francis.

He was the same jerk that I'd known before!  
Despite not having memories of being a country at all.  
He still had that stereotypical French laugh.  
He still had those shining blue eyes.  
He still called me by that annoying pet name.  
He still had that beautiful blonde hair.  
And he still had those same two bloody friends that I'd always hated.

He was just the same.  
…And I still loved him.

Now if only I could get him to remember..

**A/N: Hai guise~!  
It's been awhile, hasn't it? I'm really sorry. eue I got stumped on another fanfiction of mine, and never got around to working on this one!  
This chapter is awfully short... but it's getting around to the main story plot at this point. It will get better. Anyway. Review, please? And thank you for so many follows, even though I've barely done a thing with this story so far.  
Just so you know, there will be hints of pairings in the background of the main story. So yeah, but ready for the random mention of different ships. Thank you for reading! **


	5. I'm Sorry

"Dude! You can't be serious about going through with this! Do you even know what the spell is going to do?" America's blue eyes were wide behind his glasses, and he stared at me.

I didn't want to imagine what I looked like at this moment.  
I hadn't slept in days, at different points in time, I'd been crying.  
I had my cloak thrown over me to keep warm, plus hide my face somewhat if someone dared to show up and tried to talk to me.

No matter how much America wanted to, he wouldn't be able to talk me out of this.

"Britain, dude! Are you even listening to me? You could really screw up with this spell and throw everything off course!"

"I don't care, Alfred!" I finally snapped, whirling around to face him, my spell book still in hand.  
"I know the bloody basis of what it's going to do, and frankly I don't _care _whats going to happen… as long as…"  
I trailed off.

"A-as long as…" I felt tears coming to my eyes again.  
Now that Francis was gone why was I so bloody weak?  
I couldn't even stand the thought of him anymore, without feeling a knot form in my throat.

"Dude.." America sighed.

"You need to calm down.. these sort of things are horrible, but it just happens…you have to let it go."

"This sort of thing does _not _happen! It's not supposed to!" I shouted, and hit him multiple times in the shoulder.

"Dammit, America! You don't… you don't even get it.."

"No.. I really don't!" Alfred sighed, aggravated.  
"I swear, bro.. you should be happy, you always hated that Surrender Monkey when he was alive, so why do you suddenly care?"

"Don't you _dare _insult Francis!" I shouted at him again.

"T..thats.. _my_ job.."

America stared at me in awe.

"Britain… I'm worried about you. You look like you could like.. pass out or something. Just.." He moved towards me, but I hit him again.

"Back the bloody hell off me, you tosser!" I snapped, yet again.  
"I know what I'm doing so stop it!"

"Now, leave!" I looked down at the spell book, and started to mutter the words of the spell I'd worked so hard to come up with.

"Dude, what are you—"  
I shoved him back, and finished the spell.

America stared at me.  
There was a complete silence for a moment.

"It… didn't work.." America said, still looking as if he was in awe.

But my brother had spoken too soon, there was suddenly a bright flash of light and everything started shaking, the bookshelves full of my spell books started tumbling over, and Alfred and I flew back hitting the wall.

"Britain, dude! W-what the hell is—"

But he was cut off, it was the last thing he could say before my spell was thrown fully into action, sending us somewhere I hadn't expected to end up.

...

I woke up in a cold sweat.  
At that time I'd been restless, insane even.  
I'd made up my mind that I wouldn't be able to live without Francis, not even Alfred could have changed my mind at that point, he'd tried, and failed.

I got out of bed quickly wanting to forget the memory. It was pointless to think of. I had Francis back now, I didn't need to worry.  
I quickly got my uniform on, and grabbed my bag.  
I attempted to comb my hair, but it seemed the more I combed the messier it got.

"Arthur~! Arthur~!" Peter loudly came crashing into the room with the grace of an elephant.

He stopped in his tracks right in front of me, smiling innocently.  
"Morning~!"

I yawned. I wasn't a morning person like him.

"Morning.." I shrugged.

"Come on, come on~" He giggled.  
"I made breakfast!"  
Technically putting cereal in a bowl didn't count as "making breakfast" but he was a kid, so I figured I could lay off.

Peter eagerly watched me take every single bite, he was obviously wanting to get a move on.  
My thoughts were proven, because as soon as I put my bowl in the sink, the small 3rd grader grabbed hold of my hand, pulling me to the door.

"Come on~! Arthuuur~ Lili's waiting!" He giggled.

I chuckled lightly.  
"Is Lili your _girlfriend?" _I teased him slightly, not serious at all.  
But the small boy's eyes widened and his face turned bright red.

"N…no! But… " He trailed off.  
"M-maybe someday.."

The statement. Was he serious?  
Would he still feel the same if he was Sealand, still?

Well.. he was still like Sealand in every way.  
He just didn't have his old memories.  
I chuckled over his childish crush, then shrugged it off.

We stopped in front of the bus stop where Vash was lecturing Lili on something, and Lili was nodding with an innocent smile on her face.  
"Okay, big bruder!" She giggled and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Don't do anything stupid now, Peter." I said.

"I know, I know~." Peter sighed, hearing this a lot.

"All right." I nodded, and ruffled his hair.  
I waved good-bye and started ahead.

I wanted to avoid another awkward walk to school with Vash again.

It was a little early for me to be arriving at school, the first class wouldn't start for another fifteen minutes, so instead of heading inside, I sat down on the steps, opening my fairytale book, and ignored the glares and snickers that came from the other teenagers arriving in school.

"You know~." Said a familiar, energetic voice.

"Fairytales originated in South Korea~ Daaaa ze~!"

"No they didn't! They bloody originated in England..! Tosser…" I informed bitterly.  
Im Yong Soo pouted.  
He wasn't used to being corrected. Most people just went with whatever he said, uncaringly.

"So..?" He crossed his arms.  
"It's still fun to say that it originated in South Korea."

"…Whatever." I shrugged him off.  
Im Yong Soo ran up the stairs, going after Kiku, Mei, and the rest of his siblings.

I was left In silence for awhile, until I was interrupted by another familiar voice.

"So zhis is vhat you always do in your spare time, _Angleterre?" _  
I was startled by the French accent, because I hadn't been planning on seeing Francis this early in the morning.

"S-Stop calling me that! Why would you call me by the name of my country?" I crossed my arms, setting the book aside, and glaring at the Blonde Frenchman in front me.

"Because it seems to get on your nerves~ It was just a joke zhe first time, but now I think zhat it's sticking." He informed.

To be honest, I was happy to hear him call me by my old pet name.  
Not only because it reminded me of how things were before, but because I knew that his memories were in there somewhere.

It had to be related to his old memories. You don't just _decide _to call a person "England".  
It was too much of a coincidence.

"Hm. Stupid cheese-eating surrender monkey.." I turned my head away from him, pouting.  
"You're just full of insults aren't you, Angleterre?"

"So what if I am?" I said, not looking him in the eye again.

"Maybe it's only to _you." _I said.

"Ohonhon~ I'd like to believe zhat~ but I 'eard you insulting zhe Korean boy earlier, so I know othzerwise."

"J..jerk.." I said, turning back and glaring again.  
I gather my books under my arm, and started up the stairs.

He shrugged and followed me up the stairs.

"You could _spare _to be less uptight." He informed.

"And _you _could spare to be less annoying." I told him.

"Ohonhonhon~!" He laughed a little.

"Mon ami~ your comebacks amuse moi, you know zhat?"

"…It's not meant to be bloody amusing." I informed.  
"It's meant to hurt people."

"So I see~ you 'urt people to avoid getting 'urt yourself, non?" He said that so nonchalantly, and yet, I hadn't heard something so disgustingly true in a long time.

I stopped dead in my tracks.  
Memories or not, Francis always seemed to know how to make me tick. It was annoying.  
He could always read me as if I was easy to read, while for others I was impossible.

"You Frog… it's not like that."

"It is."

"No!"

"Oui."

"No!"

"….You don't get it, do you?" I demanded, bitterly.

"Non. I _do _get it. And zhat's what scares you. Right, Angleterre?"

…He was so much like Francis.. even without his stupid memories. Every time I closed my eyes, I relived the day he was killed.  
I couldn't do it.  
No…

"I'm sorry…" I said, softly.

"Hm..? Vhat do you mean?"

"I'm sorry for everything... you stupid Frog.."

With this, I took off up the rest of the stairs.  
He didn't understand what I meant when I apologized like that.

I wanted nothing more but to thank him, and tell him that I was sorry for what happened. It had been all my fault.  
I wanted him to grab my hand and hold me close like he used to.

Even if I _had _seemed reluctant to it in the past. It was something I missed…

I wanted _my _Francis back.  
The one who thought so highly of me, even knowing everything about my past.

And though, he talked like Francis, teased me like Francis, made me tick like Francis.  
There was still something missing.

His memories were shattered, and I didn't know how to get him back.

****

A/N: Okays~ Sooo! I'd hope by now that most of you guise get whats going on here. I'll say it anyway.  
Francis was killed off. Arthur goes crazy over it. Casts a spell that he isn't completely sure of. In the end, it brings Francis back just like he'd wanted, but on top of it, it sent all the countries to this modern setting, where all their memories are shattered. Everyone except, England, the spell caster.  
Simple enough summery, but I'm sure you've all figured that much out by now.

I thank you for the reviews, and favorites and follows! Review me, please? Tell me what you think of the whole thing, or just say whatever you want. Until then.


	6. Mistakes

"And so I was like, "No sir, _I _said good day" AHAHAHA! The dude never saw it coming!" I could hear Alfred's voice from all the way across the room.  
It was ridiculous.

It had been raining on that certain day, so I was forced to eat inside of the school.  
His entire table laughed, as if the joke was actually funny. Like he was the center of their world.

"Hey! That line originated in Korea! Da ze!" The Korean boy shouted from two tables away.  
The whole table went silent, and just sort of glared at Im Yong Soo.

He slowly slumped down, and continued eating in complete silence.

"D-don't worry, Aniki. I thought it was funny." Mei giggled, half nervously, patting Im Yong Soo on the shoulder.

The odd ones out at the school were the Asians, Vash, Ivan and his sisters, oh… and that's right, me.

You'd think the odd ones out would join forces, but nope.  
They all stayed in their little corners where everything seemed safe.  
The only reason Mattie wasn't one of these "odd" students, was because he was always either with his brother, or the Bad Touch Trio.

I envied him for that.  
I'd tried to get close to Alfred several times, but he brushed me off continually.  
That stupid jerk.. he was just as horrible in an alternate universe as he was before.

Tim, aka Netherlands, or that one kid with hair so sharp it could kill someone, walked straight up to my table, oddly enough.  
This wasn't a daily occurrence.  
I'd been in the school for nearly a week, and we'd never even talked once.

"Hey you, British boy~" He said, roughly, just as rude as he had been back before this whole thing had started.

He may not have memories, but just like everyone else, his personality was still in tact.

"I have a name…bloody wanker." I muttered, not looking up from my lunch.

That was my first mistake, calling him a name.  
"What did you say?" He growled, knowing what I'd said, but he was giving me a chance to take it back.

My second mistake.  
I didn't take the chance he gave me.

"I said Bloody. Wanker." I rolled my eyes.

Before I could think of a wise-guy way to tell him to leave me alone, his hand suddenly locked onto the collar of my uniform shirt, and yanked me forward.

"I gave you a chance to take it back, and you didn't. You'd better start apologizing." He said through gritted teeth.

"No."  
My third, mistake.

Without a second thought, I found myself getting thrown against the floor.

I hit it pretty hard, the wind getting knocked right out of me.  
His fist was about to come in contact with me, when suddenly, something stopped him.  
I opened my eyes, that had been closed, because I'd been bracing myself for the hit.

"I'd appreciate it if you _didn't _man handle Arthzer." Francis hand his hand clamped around Tim's wrist , holding him back from hitting me.

It took me a second to register what was going on.  
"Shut up." He rolled his eyes, and before I could say or do anything, his fist flew up, and hit Francis.

Francis was knocked back, on top of Tim's strength being superior, and the fact that he hadn't expected it.

"F-Francis!" My eyes widened, and I felt my heart beating fast, it reminded me of another time not so long ago when Francis had taken a hit for me.

Tim, satisfied, had abandoned the scene, leaving me alone to rush to Francis's aid.

Francis was on the hard tile floor, his eyes snapped shut, shaky, pained, surprised breaths leaving his mouth, but the hit hadn't been hard enough to knock him unconscious.

"F-Francis! H-Hey.. Francis.." I touched his shoulder trying to get his attention, but it took him a few seconds before he was able to respond.

"Oui~? Oh… Angleterre. You rushed right over 'ere~ is zhat some sort of sign? Ohonhon~" Francis weakly answered me, in a quieter voice than usual.  
He picked now of all times to flirt with me?

This Frog..

"No!" I answered.  
I grabbed his hand, helping him to stand and roughly pulling him out of the cafeteria, and into the hallway.

I took a handkerchief from my pocket, and dampened it with water from the water fountain, pressing it to his face to keep the blood from dripping everywhere.

God… my heart was still pounding, I felt tears in my eyes.  
Oh bloody hell, why…  
I couldn't cry, this was stupid, it was nothing like when he'd been shot. He was fine! He was fine!

Oh but.. god. He'd taken _another _hit for me. Why did I have to be so weak?

The tears slowly started streaming, as I kept the rag pressed against his face.  
We were close up to each other… of course he was going to be able to tell I was crying.

"'Ey! Ey… Vhats wrong, are you—"  
"No!" I cut him off quickly, knowing that he was going to ask me if I was hurt.

"Zhen vhy are you.. taking zhis so seriously..?" He asked, confused.

"Y..you.. didn't have to bloody do that!" I informed, the obvious tears still steaming down my cheeks.  
The blood had mostly stopped.

Tears kept streaming down my face. I started dabbing at the spots of slightly more dried up blood, that would stain his face, I avoided eye contact.

This was very uncomfortable, with the tears and everything.  
He didn't even understand _why _I was crying.

It was just too much.

"'Ey.." He muttered softly.  
He grabbed hold of my hand, stopping me from dabbing any further, placing it back down at my sides.  
He gently stroked my cheek, brushing the tears away gently.

"Shhh.."  
"I'm fine, mon ami."

I knew he was.  
The whole thing had just triggered the memory all over again. The whole thing had been my fault before, just like it had been this time.

I blinked, and then cleared my throat trying to get rid of the knot in it, but it was no use. I still felt horrible.

To my surprise, Francis pulled me into a hug, holding onto me tightly.

"Shhh… everyzhing is fine now, Arthzer." He informed softly, whispering into my hair.

Taking shaky breaths, I slowly calmed down.

"All right, all right. I'm fine now," I informed, hoping to escape being held for any longer, slowly registering what was happening, since I'd calmed down by that time.

After another moment, Francis let go of me.

After a moment of silence, I sighed.  
My arms were crossed, my eyes wandering to avoid eyecontact.

"Thank you." I finally murmured.  
"Promise me you'll never take a hit for me again.."

"Non~." He said.

I blinked.  
"…What?"

"I won't be promising, _Angleterre~"_ He teased.  
"Ohonhonhon~"

The bell rung, and he jokingly nudged me forward.  
"Now come on, I'll walk you to your next class."

**A/N: That was a short chapter, I know. The point of it was to show England get worked up in front of Francis. He needed to be just a bit more vulnerable. Anyway~ Review, please? I'm really happy with all the followers, and how the story is coming along. Until next time. OwO **


	7. Captain Of The Seven Seas

The weird things that happened at the school didn't even shock me anymore.  
It was just as random, and odd as it was before all this had happened.  
Alfred was still a dork.  
The Italian brothers were still airheads.  
Antonio was still a… well, lets not get into that…

Francis and I didn't speak of my minor break down in the hall way, that I had that day. He never questioned why I'd started crying, why I'd made such a big deal about him taking a hit.

We didn't hang around each other much at school because he had his same old stupid group he always hung around with.

That stupid Prussian, and that even stupider airheaded Spaniard.

It was hard to sit through Yao's class, because people found it so funny to get him all worked up, that they passed notes, and laughed through out the entire thing just to bother him.

None of them feared him, because he was a softie with empty threats, who continued to get softer through out the years, due to his younger siblings are breaking him.

It had been rumored around the school that Yao had been a lot stricter years and years before, but the older his siblings got, the more he just started to let things slide because he was too tired to deal with it.

"Put that phone away right now, Im Yong Soo! Or…" Yao pointed to his younger brother, who was seated at his desk, cell phone in hand.

"Or..?" Im Yong Soo asked.

His siblings were of course the least afraid of him, and sort of influenced the rest of the class to misbehave.  
Im Yong Soo looked smug with his cell phone out.

And I could swear that I could see an anger mark appearing on Yao's forehead.

"I could've been assigned to any other class room, but I got stuck with the ones with my siblings, aru… god why.." I heard him mutter that.

Yao of course loved him siblings, and his siblings returned the love, but it seemed like they liked to give him a hard time.

"A-aniki.. you should listen to him.." Mei urged.

Im Yong Soo sighed, and closed his phone and put it away.  
The senseless interruptions that happened in Yao's class were really starting to annoy me... I mean.. really?

It must have been harder on Yao because the other students took his sibling's examples, knowing it was easy to mess around with _this _teacher.

"Anyway.. getting back onto the subject…"  
That's all I heard, because I was just so lost in thought at the moment.

I just had so many thoughts going through my head.  
The bell rung, and everyone started gathering up their things. Yao's class was always the last class we had before lunch, so some were in a rush to get away, and others waited around the class room, waiting for friend's from different classes to come meet up with them.

Yao had lost some of his strictness at this point, and didn't even bother to hang around the class room after he got his books and papers safely tucked into his desk.

My eyes lingered around the room, and stopped on the Italian brothers.

Romano had an annoyed expression as he said something to Feli, who looked slightly deflated at his older brother's words.

"Veeee… but'a Fratello!" Feliciano whined.

"Just'a be quiet and don't argue with me.." Lovino sighed.

The room had mostly cleared out, leaving just me, Italy and Romano, Switzerland, who was still writing something, and glaring at Roderich every once in awhile, who was putting the last of his books into his bag.

Matthew and Alfred had already taken off.

I shrugged, and started gathering up my books as well, figuring I had no reason to stay in the class room.

The day so far had been slow, so I hadn't expected a sudden rise of noise coming from behind me.

That "noise" being the sound of another student climbing up onto one of the desks, and then stamping a foot to get people's attention.

"Fratello~ isn't'a that your boyfriend..?" Came the confused voice of the younger Italian twin.

"Shut'a up! I have nothing to do with that bastard." Lovino retorted.

"Antonio… what are you doing?" Gilbert demanded.

I turned, saw Francis and Gilbert standing in the door way of the class room, with confused, and slightly annoyed looks directed towards their Spanish friend.

I turned again, and looked directly behind myself, to find Antonio standing up one of the desks.

"Awww~! Come on, Gilbert! We've gone over this, when I'm doing this sort of thing you have to call me, Captain Carriedo!" Antonio pouted.

"Oh no. I'm not putting up with this crap…" Lovino growled under his breath, and then grabbed his brother's hand.

"Come'a on, Feli. Lets go to lunch, we don't need this bastard."

"Loviiiii~ don't be like that!" Antonio called after the two Italian boys who were leaving the room.

He was still standing on top of the desk, and Gilbert and Francis stepped into the class room, in order to let the Italian twins get through the door.

I looked over at Francis and Gilbert again.  
Francis locked eyes with me, so I glared at him, then I turned back to the annoying Spanish student, who was now jumping from desk to desk.

Vash was now looking up from his work, looking up in total disbelief most likely wondering what the heck he was thinking, and Roderich merely facepalmed and started for the door.

"What in the bloody hell…?" I muttered.

"You are no captain of mine, you git!"

"Oh yes I am~" He informed.

"I just so happen to be Antonio Fernández Carriedo~! Captain of the seven seas!"

…I couldn't help but be reminded of our pirate days together.

Wait a second.. there was no reason for him to have some sort of…well, Pirate complex, if theres such a thing… unless it was being triggered by some memory of his pirate days.

Only because I didn't want him to get his memories all twisted up, I picked up my ruler off my desk, and stepped up onto desk, and glared at him from where I was standing.  
I couldn't let this git go on thinking he was some kind of pirate overlord, when I had obviously been better than him back in those days.

"No. I'm afraid you have it completely wrong, Wanker. _I, _Captain Kirkland, am the true ruler of the seven seas. You're just a fail pirate that I met along the way." I informed, pointing my ruler at him as if it was a sword.

I heard Gilbert laugh under his breath, trying to keep himself from laughing at this, but completely failing.

"Fusososo~ you dare to challenge me, mi amigo?" He asked, with a mischievous look in his eye, as he walked across the desks, getting closer and closer to me, taking out his own ruler.

"I'm no "amigo" of yours!" I retorted, now taking steps towards him as well, until we were but one desk apart.

"You'd better turn and run right on back to your own little half-assed crew before you find yourself hurt."

"Calling _my _crew half-assed? I think _you're _the one who's going to get hurt!" He informed, a smirk on his face, and with that, he swung his ruler at me.

I just as quickly blocked it with my own ruler, and jumped backwards to another desk.

He recoiled fast, and jumped forward after me, trying to make another move on me with his ruler.

I led him around the rows of desks, until I tricked him into a corner.  
With a smirk, I swung my ruler at him, only to be blocked.

Gilbert and Francis started to worry that this was an actual serious situation, looking at the scene with wide eyes, started to say things in protest to our little fight that we had going on.

We continued to block each other, until finally, I had my ruler pointed to his neck.

"Give up… "Captain Carriedo"… you have no chance against the absolutely invincible Captain Kirkland!"

He gritted his teeth, looked at me, then looked down at the ruler I held to his neck.

Without a second thought, he lunged forward slightly, grabbing hold of my wrist.  
And of course it was at this moment, my foot decided to slip, and we both went toppling down to floor.

It took us a moment to realize what had happened, blinking then glancing at each other.

"Oi!" Gilbert called out, startled.

"Vhat zhe hell did you think you two were doing!? You two could have—"

With that, the two of us cut him off his our laughter.

…That had almost seemed, natural, I'd actually been happy to fight again with my old rival.  
It was odd, but I felt like a pirate again, despite the fact that we'd just been fighting with rulers, and foolishly jumping from desk-to-desk.

Gilbert looked mad at us for a second, but after that second passed, he started laughing about the whole thing as well.

Gilbert grabbed Antonio's hand, and helped him to his feet.

"Kesese~ come on, "captain" lets get out of here, before lunch period ends."

Still slightly riled up, I pointed to them.

"Hey! Calling _him _your captain? I'm obviously the better man here! That's bloody plain and easy to see." I informed.

I crossed my arms, and rolled my eyes, still sitting the on the floor, where I'd fallen, watching the two of the walk out of the room together.

Francis still stood in front of me.  
He held out his hand to me.

"Ohonhon~ I had no idea you had such an aggressive side, mon amour." He chuckled.

Narrowing my eyes slightly, I smacked his hand away and stood on my own.  
I wasn't going to abandon my pride for the sake of this wanker.

"Ey! Vhat was—Don't pull zhat with me…" He pouted, and followed after me, as I headed through the door.

"Don't pull _what _with you?" I rolled my eyes.

"Do you think that I'd actually take your hand? Only a desperate fool would lock hands with a Frog."

But, just as usual, the insults didn't put him down. He merely chuckled, and then walked side-by-side with me to the cafeteria.

He could never take a hint, could he? Oh well… it wasn't like I actually _wanted _him to take it.  
It was just like Francis to do the complete opposite of what I was hinting. I wasn't sure if it was because he truly knew what I wanted, or if he was just trying to annoy me.

Either way, I'd take it if it meant getting to spend more time with him.

**A/N: Okay~ That was a pretty long chapter.  
It's main purpose was... I dunno.  
I just always wanted to write a scene where Antonio and Arthur have some sort of fight, having to do with their pirate days.  
Of course the two of them were just playing around. The next chapter it's going to jump onto a more serious matter, just as a warning to you guise.  
And I'm almost to 40 followers! So thank you so much! My goal at the moment is to reach 50. That would be the most followers I've ever gotten for a story. Review, and follower, if you don't mind too much. Thank you for taking your time to even read my mess of a story. Until next time~**


	8. History Class

"Which leads us up to 1775…"

…Oh god.  
Oh god, oh god…  
This was just not my day.

Why did I have the feeling that I should skip World History class, right before the class itself?  
I started to really wish that I listened to my rebellious side more often.  
I didn't want to hear about this.

"Can anyone tell me what started that year?"

It took a moment, but a few hands sprung into the air.  
I knew exactly what I was going to hear.  
I knew the answer, but I refused to raise my hand. I absolutely refused.

"Alfred?" The teacher pointed her ruler at none other than Alfred himself. How ironic.

"I dunno.. like… some kind of war." He said, in an airheaded manner.

"Right," The teacher said, not satisfied with that vague answer.  
"But can anyone tell me what war, precisely?"

A few hands shot up again, but it was Elizabeta's hand that had shot up first.

"Elizabeta?" She pointed to her.

"The Revolutionary War." She answered, looking confident.

The teacher nodded.

She went on to ask a few more questions, all of which I knew the answered to, but refused to answer.  
Why should I answer?  
What kind of class was this anyway?

I raised my hand suddenly, out of nowhere.

"Yes, Arthur?" She asked, turning to me.

The whole class was suddenly looking at me, all interested to hear my question.

I could barely contain myself. This whole situation was a nightmare. I struggled not to think about losing America on a daily basis, and now they were all shoving it in my face.

"Why are we even bloody learning about this anyway?" I blurted out.

"Isn't this a topic that's mainly taught in middle school..?"

"Yes, that's true." The teacher answered.

"But it's such an important event, we decided to bring it up again this year, just to keep it fresh in our minds. After all, it's one of America's greatest victories."

And with this, the obnoxious kids in the back of the room started chanting "USA! USA! USA!"

And that action sent me over the edge.

"Enough! I've had enough of this insensitive, overbearing, excuse for a class!" I shouted, over the chanting, and it made them all freeze.

"It was a bloody war, people suffered! Countries… suffered… and some people don't want to talk about it!"

I found myself shouting. My voice nearly sounded on the verge of tears. I had tears forming in my eyes, but I quickly blinked them away. I wouldn't cry again.  
Why should I even cry over that stupid fool..?

It was his own loss, leaving me… his own loss…

"…I think… Arthur needs to take the rest of this class off…" The teacher said, slowly.  
This teacher barely sent anyone to the Principal, even after an outburst like that, she didn't seem phased enough to get angry with me, and send me to talk to the Principal.

"I'm thinking he needs some air… will someone volunteer to go with him, please?"

A few hands shot up. The thought of skipping the remainder of a class, sounded pretty good to the class.

In the end she pointed at… guess who? Alfred.

"Alfred, why don't you go with him?"

"Totally~!" He nodded, instantly jumping from his desk.

"I don't need anyone to come with me.." I muttered, bitterly, as I stuffed my textbook into my back pack.

"Alfred is just there, in case you decide you need to talk." She said, she pointed towards the door, and with that, she started to carry on with the class.

I went through the door, without another word. I didn't wait up for Alfred. I just charged into the hallway, not wanting to hear about that.

Yet, another memory I wished I could forget… maybe it would have been better altogether if I'd forgotten everything like everyone else. I just couldn't take hearing about it.

"Yo! Wait up, bro!" The American called after me.

I didn't listen, I kept walking for the door. I wanted to spend the last portion of the remaining class, catching up on my fairytales, and trying to forget. I wished that Alfred would get bored with me, and just leave.

It was hard for me to forget when the person from the memory itself was right in front of me.

I got outside, and sat on the steps, opening a book.

"You sure walk fast." Alfred panted, as he climbed down the stairs, and sat on the stair below me, cross-legged, facing me.  
He set his bag beside himself, and kind of just stared up at me.  
Those blue eyes, through his glasses, that looked as if he'd been too rough on them.

He more than likely was due for a new pair.

I glare at him from over the top of my book, and then turn my eyes back to the words on the paper.

The two of us sit in silence.

"…Is it because you're British?" He asked, after a few minutes, breaking the pleasurable silence we'd built together.

"What?" I demanded.

"The reason you freaked out, is it because you're like… a Brit?"

I just stared at him for a moment, taking in his words.

"No!" I finally snapped at him.

"Then why are you so mad? I figured you were mad because you're British. Because like… hasn't it been proven that all British people hate everyone?" He asked, squinting trying to straighten his facts to himself.

"Or is that just most British people…?" He asked, more to himself, than me.

I felt my eyebrow twitch.

What kind of bloody comment was that? All British people hate everyone… rubbish…

"No… I guess that's not the only reason." I shrugged him off.

"Why should you care..?" He asked.

"It was just something that happened a long time ago, that was for the better. You're only like what..? 15..? So you didn't even have anything to do with it. America is it's own Country now, with independence, and it's meant to be that way. So why fret about it?"

I swore I could feel my blood boiling.

How the hell did he know it was for the better? How!?

Instead of snapping with him like I wanted to, I merely turned my eyes back to my book, before I answered him quietly.

"…I lost someone on that day. The 4th of July…"  
"I lost my brother… so… I guess when people talk about the Revolutionary war, it's just a reminder."

Alfred stared at me, dumbfounded.

"W-what happened to him..?" He stuttered over his words.

"He decided he didn't need me anymore… he tossed me aside like some disposable piece of rubbish. That's probably all I ever was to him in the first place."

After that, the silence re-invited itself to the atmosphere.

"I'm sorry, dude…that must have hurt." He said.

I nodded, silently.

Yet, another silence.

If only he knew I was talking about him…  
The brother I'd lost had been him.

My phone vibrated, breaking the silence between us, and startling me more than it should have.

I stared at the caller ID, but it was a number I'd never seen before.

At the very last moment, I decided to answer it.  
Alfred's curious eyes watching me the whole time.

"Ello..?" I answered.

"This is Arthur Kirkland, correct?" The person the other line inquired.

"Yes, it is." I answered.

"What in the world does that mean to you, though..?" I nearly snapped.  
I didn't recognize the voice on the other line.

And yet he somehow knew my name.  
It made me feel somewhat odd.

"I just thought you might want an update on your brother…Peter Kirkland? I'll assume I have the right Arthur Kirkland."

"Yes…Peter is my brother… what has he done?" I sighed.

"It's not what he's done. It's just… something's happened to him." He answered.

My heart started to pound.  
What could he possibly mean by that?

"What do you mean? Is Peter all right?"  
"We're not sure…you see… there was an.. incident earlier, that you might want to hear about…"

**A/N: I'm so sorry, guys... I posted last night, and it didn't work. I somehow ended up reposting chapter four. A lot of people were actually angry at me for that, as if I'd done it on purpose. I'm sorry, again... fanfiction was glitching, I couldn't check the chapter, and I ended up just posting the wrong one. This is the right one. I will apoligize again. I am sincerely sorry for everyone who got mad at me. This is the REAL chapter eight. Review, please..? Until next time.  
**


	9. The Real Peter

Alfred followed me back into the the school even after I told him to leave me alone.  
I snapped at him.  
I was in a stunned state at this moment.  
All he knew was that I was on the phone one second, and the next I was running around the school looking for the senior class rooms.

"Dude, where the _hell _are you going?" He demanded for the fith time at least.  
He didn't seem to be backing down, but at this point, I didn't care.  
Peter was obviously in trouble.  
I had never been nice to him first time around, and for once the two of us had a relationship, I wouldn't screw it up again.

It was another one of my regrets.  
It was yet another mental result that took place after Alfred had taken his independence. I had made up my mind that I was never going to get attached to another child again.

The hospital was miles away, I couldn't get there on foot.

At this point, the classes were getting let out, and I lost the obnoxious American in the crowds.  
Thank the lord.  
I couldn't take much more of his constant babbling when my mind was in a state of panic.  
They hadn't explained anything to me over the phone, only that someone who I'd gotten used to calling my "little brother" had an incident, and was now in the hospital.

_Yes. _

The bloody hospital.  
My eyes locked onto the first person I could see that had any possibility of getting me to the hospital.  
Which was Yao who was having what looked like a serious conversation with Xiao, and Im Yong Soo.

I was about to interrupt the conversation, when I was stopped in my tracks by a pair of hands that swung me around.

"Oh.. zhe American vas right… you do look like you're some sort of state of crazy." Francis, the one who had turned me around informed me nonchalantly.

"Git!" I retorted, slapping his hand.  
"Get your bloody hands off me!"

He furrowed his brow.  
"You are seeming more snappish than usual… vhats wrong?" He asked, sounding concerned.

"I bloody—I have to—goddammit." I found myself tongue tied.  
"Deep breaths…" He sighed.

"Vhat are you trying to tell me, Anglettere?"

..There he went off calling me that again.  
That fool.  
But I didn't have time to dwell on it.

"My brother… my sodding little brother… he's… in the hospital, I guess… I just found out, and…"

Before I could go on, I found myself being pulled down the hall towards the exit.

"W-Wanker! What the hell do you think you're doing?" I growled.

"I'm taking you to your brothzer, obviously." Francis informed.  
And with this, I didn't say another word on it.  
He was taking to me to Peter, and that was the most important thing at the moment.  
I told him which hospital, and it was all downhill from there.

I sat there in the passenger seat.  
I stared at the window, watching the trees, and other cars, and everything else disappear in a flash.  
I knew Peter wasn't seriously hurt, they would have told me if he was dying or something.  
But he must have been scared.  
He must _be _scared.

There was a silence between Francis and I for awhile there.  
It still felt odd to be around him.  
Though, he seemed the same, I knew he wasn't the same.  
He may have still been the perverted frog I always knew, but at the same time, we didn't share memories anymore.  
For all he knew, we'd only known each other for as long as I'd been in the school.

But in my eyes, Francis and I had known each other, for… as long as I could remember.  
I remembered the two of us running around in the forest when we were younger, completely care-free.  
I remembered all my different phases.  
But the one thing that never seemed to change in my life, was the fact that he was always there.

And though, I had told him all the time that he didn't need to feel obligated to stay with me, he did anyway.  
And that was what I had always wanted all along.

I had all these memories… that he just didn't have.

"You never even told me you 'ad siblings…" He said, breaking the silence.

I scoffed, rolling my eyes.  
"I have _a_ sibling. And I don't have to tell you everything, git."

"…Is zhat because you don't know anyzhing about _moi?"_ He asked.

If only he knew he was mistaken.  
I knew _everything _about him.

But I couldn't tell him.

"That's right." I glared.  
"We hardly know each other."

"Zhen maybe we should get to know each othzer better?" He asked.

It took me a moment to register what he meant by that, and when I did, hot blush crossed my face.

"B-Bloody wanker…"

He just sort of laughed at me.  
By this point we were pulling up into the hospital parking lot.  
As soon as the car was parked, I got right out of the car.

When we got in, I explained who I was, and who I had come to see.

The lady at the desk tiled her head, and then nodded in realization of who I was.

"Oh… _that _Arthur..?" She asked.  
"Before you see your brother… the doctor told me that he wanted to say something to you. Theres some things that need to be explained about your brother's condition."

It was then and there when I felt myself go numb.  
I'd failed to protect Peter.  
This was going to be bad, wasn't it?  
I didn't say anything.

I didn't look at Francis, I hardly even moved.  
I just couldn't take this.

The doctor soon came out, and I instantly started to ask questions.

"M-my brother… is he all right? _Will _he be all right?" I demanded, right off.

"He's fine… physically. From what I understand he was crossing the street, and didn't see a car coming. He wasn't hit hard, just knocked down, and he hit his head. He was unconscious... I can release him from here by tomorrow.. but.. uh…"

He was scaring me.  
This was all leading up to something! Oh god…

"What?" I demanded.  
"He seems to think he's some sort of…" He trailed off.  
"It's going to sound crazy, but from what I believe is from head trauma, he seems to believe he's some sort of… nation."

Those words… they made me freeze.

"Which nation?" I asked.  
"…Sealand."  
The real Peter was back, wasn't he?

**A/N: Sorry for taking so long to write, guys.  
But this chapter seems like a pretty big turning point, doesn't it? The real turning point is in the next chapter. So yeah~. This was a short update, but it was as long as it needed to be. The next chapter is going to be soon~ also! over fifty follows on this story. Thats the most follows I've ever gotten! So thank you! Review, please..? I appreciate reviews. Either way, I'll see you guys next time. **


	10. Wake-Up Call

Holy god…  
Sealand was back! He was _back! _And if he could come back, that meant anyone could, didn't it?  
I thanked Francis for taking me out here, and even though he offered to stay back here with me, I sent him off, because I needed to be alone with Peter.

They led me to the room where they were keeping him, and after a moment of trying to keep myself calm, and seemingly normal, I walked through the door.

As soon as I entered the room, I saw the smaller boy who'd been living a lie for several months.  
He'd thought he was this person he wasn't. He had memories of parents, struggles, modern day things that _humans _experienced.

He'd been living this false life, with these false memories implanted into him by none other than my own spell.  
As soon as I walked through the door, he got one look at me, and got this completely horrified look on his face.  
Studying my uniform, the way I was just dressed like a modern day teenager.  
He thought he knew what was coming next.

"No.." The small boy muttered.  
"You can't have them too… the memories? You think you're someone you're not, mate! Stop living this stupid lie!"

The small nation instantly began protesting assuming that I, as he had previously been, was convinced that I was just a modern day, normal teenager.  
His fear was perfectly normal, though.  
What else could he think?

I'd led him to believe that I was the same as him before, as not to confuse him.  
He most likely had memories of that too, me acting as an older brother, as if everything was in place during that time.

"Relax, twat." I sighed.  
"I'm the same as you, I have my memories."

He tilted his head, innocently, staring at me as if I were crazy.  
He'd probably freaked himself out before I'd arrived, convincing himself that he'd have to try to convert me.

"I know you're a nation… I know that… the memories that were implanted in your head were fake."

Sealand sighed, looking a lot more relaxed now.  
"R-really..? Then… you know that you're England, and not an emo twit living the life of a boring over dramatic human?"

I mentally decided I was going to… ignore the insults.

"Yes, I realize." I sighed, taking the seat by his bedside.  
"How did this happen?"

"How should I know? I feel like I'm just waking up from a horrible nightmare!" He said, pouting, slightly.  
"Not that…" I sighed.

"I mean your bloody head injury."

"Oh…" He sighed, and he crossed his arms reluctantly.  
"I don't want to talk about it!"

…Welp.  
There he was. That was the Sealand I knew.

…

After getting the proper permission, I signed Peter out of the hospital, and we started home.

"How much fuuurther…?" The other whined a bit.

"Not far, sod off, would you?" I snapped back.

Peter just pouted.  
"My bloody feet hurt.. you jerk."

"Would you please, just stop?" I groaned.

I continued to argue back and forth with him, as if nothing had changed between us since everything was normal, but I wasn't going to lie, I was happy to have someone who understood the situation, slightly.

"..So.." He said, after a moment of silence.  
"Let me just get it straight.. we're the only ones who remember being nations?"  
"For the millionth time, _yes, _Sealand… we're the only ones." I shrugged.

The small boy went silent again.  
"Even Lili? She has no idea?"

I sighed, yet again.  
He was being so persistent about this.  
"Yes, Sealand. Lili doesn't know."

Then it hit me… what if he tried to tell her? It would complicate things.

I stopped where we were and turned to him to look him in the eye.  
"And it has to stay that way. We can't tell anyone about this!"

"Why?" He asked.  
I groaned.  
"_Because!"  
_"No one is going to believe you. You're just going to make yourself look like a fool, or just a retard."

"…So we have to live a lie?" He said, sounding more and more confused and scared, the more answers he got from me.

"If you look at it that way… I guess, yes." I answered, softly.

No reply.

"Look." I comfortingly ruffled his hair.  
"If your memories came back, then everyone else has a chance too, right?"

"Yeah!" Sealand said, brightening up slightly.  
"Maybe… they just need a hit to the head like I got~!"

Now I knew he didn't mean that literally.  
I knew it wasn't intentional, but it got me thinking, instantly.  
Maybe that was a true statement.  
Maybe they _did. _  
All those memories were just in the back of their minds… maybe they just needed a wake up call?

And if they couldn't get that call themselves… maybe they needed me to _give it to them. _

**A/N: And there we go.  
The next chapter you guys have been awaiting. .w. I feel good, because I got a lot of credit for the last chapter I wrote, so I wanted to just go ahead and update it for you guys. Tell me what you all think of England's conclusion. What do you think it will result in? Or really tell me what you think of anything having to do with the story, I'm just always hungry for feedback. Lets be honest, what writer isn't? Until next time, guise. c: **


	11. The First Step

A crowd of students gathered around the sudden change of scenery.  
One moment, it'd been a normal day, slowly drifting by, and the next everything suddenly changed.  
It wasn't often something of this sort happened, and it was a good thing that it wasn't.

"Whats going on?" Im Yong Soo demanded.  
"I-is Aniki okay…?!" Mei asked, in tears.  
"Is he hurt?" Xiao demanded, wide eyed, as the three Asian siblings tried to get to the front of the gathering crowd.

"Give him some space, dammit!" The Russian in the middle of the entire scene, shouted, catching the attention of everyone in the evergrowing crowd, shutting them up for a moment.

After everyone quieted, and reluctantly backed off, as the tall Russian student had instructed, Xiao handed Kiku his cellphone, as he stared at the Russian, and his older brother in complete and utter awe.  
It had happened so fast.  
"Kiku," He said, trying to keep a handle on his voice. He wanted to keep himself calm, so he would wouldn't scare his little brother anymore than he already was.  
"Call 911…"

...

-Hours earlier-

~Back to England's Point Of View~

A week having passed since he'd gotten Sealand back, my thoughts continued to plague me.  
It almost felt worse than when there hadn't been anyone else with memories.  
Just the fact that Peter had his back, almost… haunted me.

It meant that there was a way to help Francis, and Alfred, and everyone else. They could possibly regain those memories!  
And what bothered me was that I didn't understand how to help them!  
…Well.. I had to admit, I had a few ideas. But they weren't safe, or scar free, for _anyone.  
_I wasn't even sure if it would work.

The risk could all be for nothing!

"Aiyah… are you even listening?" I looked up to see Wang Yao, looking over me, not looking pleased.

No, I hadn't.  
I never meant to drift off into thought like I did, but… it just happened.  
I couldn't help myself when all these thoughts of getting everyone back, floating in my mind, seemingly aimlessly.

"Oh, sorry, Mate.." I said, softly, trying not to sound too annoyed.  
Yao was obviously just tired of being ignored, and pushed around by his own class, but it was his fault.  
He made himself openly irritable.  
His siblings themselves had exposed it.

No one in the class could take him seriously, it was established just about every single day.

…He was one of the oldest, and possibly wisest nations.  
Could he honestly not remember anything?  
Was this all just.. pretend?

Of course not.  
The more you looked at him, the more you _knew _the short, child-like Chinese man thought nothing of life.  
He believed he was living a completely care-free, lifestyle.  
Nothing out of the ordinary.  
He had no idea that he was schooling a class of _countries. _

He had no idea, that he himself was _China. _

Everyone in this room was living a lie.  
A pretend background that they never even lived.

…Everyone except for me.  
Or maybe.. even _I _lived a lie. Maybe I could never free anyone from this spell.  
This spell that _I _myself had cast.

Maybe there was no way for me to save me from myself… save everyone from the mistake _I'd _made.  
It had all been a result in a mistake I'd made back when everything was the way it was supposed to be.  
And I regretted it every single minute.

Every single time I had a flashback over it.

The bell rung, and I sat there, watching everyone gather up their things, to head to lunch.  
I saw Francis and his trio enter the room, allowing Prussia to meet up with Canada.  
I was buried in the crowd.  
Francis couldn't see me at the moment, but I could see him.

I saw those completely content, and beautiful blue eyes…  
I couldn't lose him again..  
I refused to let him slip away.

"I do not mean to be rude, aru…" My thoughts were broken by the voice of the short Chinese nation.

"

Hm?" I asked.  
"But… um… could you please leave with the rest of the class?"

I looked at Yao, and nodded.  
"Sure,"

I gathered my thoughts.  
As I left the room, a crazy thought crossed my mind.  
What if...I just stopped thinking about it?

I just had to do it, I had to take the first step to end all this madness that I'd caused.

I glanced back at Yao slightly, he was gathering papers, sighing to himself.

…Come on… what did I have to lose?  
_Everything.  
_And that's why it scared me.

**A/N: Okay, guise~ I apologize for the long awaited updates.  
I shouldn't wait as long as I do to write this. I need to get less lazy! *Scolds self* No more late updates! ;w;  
From now on, I swear, I will update ONCE a week.  
Anyway. Just so you all know, if you couldn't tell, this is the part of the story, where all hell breaks loose.  
I hadn't really thought through the ending but I'm starting to get an idea of whats going to happen with this story in the end. Thank you to everyone who reads this! Review if you have the time, and if not, thanks for reading! I'll be back with a new chapter, at some point in the next seven days. Byeee~ **


	12. Sirens

I contemplated it.  
Over and over, and every solution I came up with was dangerous.  
It seemed like what really snapped Peter back into reality, was that hit to the head.

And it seemed like the only solution, thus far, that had worked.  
I looked around the cafeteria, watching everyone function so normally, not knowing that the life they were living was a complete and utter lie.

If they only knew…  
I couldn't take it.  
None of them were who they thought they were.  
And it was all my fault.

And earlier… earlier, I'd made up my mind.  
I was going to risk everything.

…

Alfred and Matthew stepped out of the school, Prussia was with them as well.  
No.  
I couldn't target them.  
They'd out number me.

I sat by the school steps, waiting for a single person to come out on their own.  
Oh bloody hell…  
I was having second thoughts on this.  
But every time I _did _start to have a second thought, I dug my heels in even further.  
I just had to test it.

I had to know if there was a way for me to shake the blasted spell.  
If it could happen to Sealand, it could happen to-  
Yao.

The short Chinese man was the first one to walk out of the school, single, all alone.  
Looking tired and exasperated.  
I looked behind him to see if any of his siblings were following behind.  
No one.

Could I really do this?  
Unfortunately, I didn't have time to think it through any further, it was now or never.  
This was for his own good.

"U-umm… excuse me?"  
Yao turned to me at the sound of my voice, his childish features lighting up in surprise, he'd obviously thought he was alone.

"O-oh, Arthur, aru…" He sighed.  
"I'd slipped out the building early, I thought I was alone.."

"I just hadn't expected to see you here, aru…" He trailed off, then shrugged.  
"Did you need something?"

This was it.  
Make or break.  
"No, I didn't really need anything," I answered, quietly.

"Oh." He shrugged me off, throwing his bag over his shoulder.  
"Then I'll see you in class tomorrow, aru."  
He nodded, turning his back on me, and started off.

_Turned his back.  
_This was probably my one and only chance.  
I looked back, to see that no one was coming out of the school, I now _knew_ that it was my only chance.

Wincing a little at the thought, I lunged forward at the shorter nation, grabbing him in a choke hold, and covering his mouth, so that he wouldn't be able to scream.

He looked so confused, and hurt that it almost made me stop.

"I-it's for your own bloody good, Yao." I informed him, before swinging him around, and slamming him against the pavement.

…

Kiku stared at his brother, and the crowd that was surrounding him.  
The Russian student from his class, Ivan, was telling everyone to back off.

Yao's head had a layer of still hot, sticky blood, caking his head, and dripping from his hair.  
And _no one_ had seen what the hell had happened.  
No one!

Mei was struggling against Im Yong Soo's grip, close to having a mental break down.  
She was nervous, and not good with this type of situation.

It dawned on Kiku that he wasn't good at this type of situation either.  
All he could do was stare, at his eldest brother's unconscious body, ignoring absolutely everything Xiao was saying to him.

"Kiku!"  
"Kiku, goddammit! I said _call 911!" _Xiao urged.

Kiku's eyes slowly turned to the phone that been placed in his hand, and he blinked, registering what was happening, finally.

"H-Hai… gomenosai…" Kiku breathed, turning his complete attention to the phone, dialing 911.

A woman picked up, and asked what the emergency was.

"H-hai… my brother is injured…"  
"No, he's unconscious, I think." Kiku answered the questioned the woman was asking, slowly, as he stared at Yao more, looking at how cold, and still his older brother looked.

He went on to explain the information to the woman, who informed that the rescue squad was on it's way.

"H-he's waking up!" Elizabeta, a girl from the sophomore classes, called out.  
Xiao and Kiku looked at each other.  
"A-Aniki?" Mei cried out.

Im Yong Soo releashed his younger sister's wrist, and she ran forward, as well as they did, making their way towards their brother, and the Russian, who had ran to his aid.

"A-Aiyah…" Yao sighed, his eyes still shut tightly, he inhaled a sharp breath.  
"A-Aniki?" Mei gasped.

"Nii-San..?" Kiku asked, in horror, still staring at the blood dripping from his brother's head.

"Mr. Yao..? You should be taking it easy, the paramedics are on their way, so just stay still, da?" The tall Russian seemed alarmed, and he held Yao steady, as he tried to sit up, and failed.

Yao groaned.  
"U-um… "mr. Yao"? What the hell kind of name is that, aru?"

"S-since when have you called me that, Ivan?"  
He seemed like he was confused, and in pain, and he still at this point couldn't bring himself to open his eyes.

Ivan tilted his head innocently confused at what Yao was saying.  
Even Kiku was confused as to what his brother was saying.  
Why wouldn't a student call his student "Mr."? Wasn't that polite?

"S-since always… I mean, since you became my teacher.." Ivan informed.

"I-I'm not your teacher, aru… w-what the… hell are you talking about? You're making no sense!" Yao groaned.

"C-Calm down, Nii-San…" Kiku said.  
He wanted to reach forward to touch his brother's shoulder, but he was scared that he would hurt him.

He was paranoid.  
"You're are going to be taken to the hospital… you're just feering confused."  
"I-I'm not confused, aru.." Yao insisted.  
Yao managed to open his eyes, finally, and a whole new look of confusion was brought to his face.

"W-where am I?" He demanded, before wincing, his hand flying to his head.  
He cringed a little, then looked at his hand, now seeing that it was now coated with blood, just from touching his own head.

The last thing he heard before he closed his eyes again was the sound of sirens.

**A/N: Holy Roman Empire, guise! eue  
And yes, I /do/ use "holy roman empire" as substitute for a swear word.  
I'm so sorry, I promised to update on time, and I got grounded! Freaking grounded. Worst few days of my life. I hate being away from my baby. *Huggles laptop* Anyway~ I'm excited, because this was chapter 12! A pretty good dent in the story has been taken away.  
I'm not quite sure how much longer this story will go on for, but I think I've still got awhile left. 61 followers... thats the most I've ever gotten, guise. I'm so happy. *Sniffles* Thank you so much for reading! New update every Tuesday! (Yes, this update is VERY belated.)  
And also, if any of you are readers of my other ongoing story "A Single Flower" I will update that as soon as possible. I'm so sorry for the delay. Until next time guys, review and give me an opinion if you can. Bye!**


	13. I've Met You In A Dream

"Did you hear about Mr. Yao?"  
"Yeah, I did. Some say he's going wacko! He may not teach again."  
"Shh, one of his brother's is listening, ya know?!"

The other kids murmured in class, this was Mr. Yao's class, we were their awaiting the substitute.  
I wasn't sure as to whether my plan had bloody worked, or not.  
I was left in the dark.

What I did, was it really a good idea?  
They were saying he'd gone "wacko" did that mean, that his memories were back?  
Was it safe to try on anyone else?

Well, I knew it wasn't _safe, _but was it effective?  
Japan and Taiwan were the only Asians left at the school at this point, the others had stayed back at the house.

From what I heard, Kiku and Mei were forced to leave the house, because the whole thing was stressing them out.  
They were, of course the youngest siblings.  
So it was no surprise that this whole thing did a number on them, it must have been hard for them to hear their older brother say things that seemed so crazy to them.

It must have been hard for them, not knowing what happened to him.

But did _he _know what happened.  
Did he remember that I was the one who did it?  
Would he tell anyone?

No one mentioned a word of it to me, yet.  
So for now, I was in the clear.

It turned out, they couldn't get a substitute at such short notice, so we were put on lunch break early.

The murmuring over Yao never seemed to stop.  
It was probably normal, after all they were all just worried, about their teacher. Not having an y clear what happened to him, it all probably seemed crazy.

I needed to see Yao as soon as possible, I had to know what happened, and if he was going to tell the others of what I did.

…

_"Angleterre," _ I was approached in the cafeteria, by none other than Francis.

Using that stupid pet-name again.  
It felt it had no meaning to it, since he had no idea, that was what he always _used _to call me.

"Mm. What is it, git?" I asked, not looking up from my lunch.

"I 'eard about vhat 'appened to your teacher, it vas unclear, was it just the teacher, or vas your class attacked?" He demanded.  
He was obviously worried.

"Relax, you muppet, it was only the teacher. He should be back, within weeks. He just has a bit of memory damage." I answered.  
I knew I was being nonchalant in a topic that Francis, at this point found important, but I'd already been stuck thinking about it, I didn't want to hear about it anymore.

"Oh, if it isn't Captain Kirkland, himself~" Antonio chipped in, coming into the scene.

"Oh, would you shut the hell up?" I groaned.  
I was so tired of talking about that spat we'd had earlier, it had just been childish play, that happened in the moment, I had no care towards it whatsoever.

"Wow, Francis, your amigo is mean." Antonio pouted.  
"Please, your boyfriend is no better. Kesesese~" Gilbert laughed, informing the other.

Antonio's face went slightly red.  
"Hush, mi tomate is different!" He said, looking away.

"When Lovi says, "I hate you" he really means "I love you"!"

"Zhat logic is bound to get you killed someday, mon ami.." Francis shook his head.

"Said ze guy hanging around with the bloodthirsty Englishman." Prussia chuckled.

I could feel my eyebrow twitching.

"I will _show you,_ goddamn blood thirsty if you don't shut your mouth, you bloody asshat!" I growled.

Francis laughed at me.  
"Zhats really cute of you to say, Arthzer."

How on earth was this cute?!  
Francis' logic went in one ear, and out the other sometimes.  
That had been a legit threat.

Antonio ran off to catch up to the Italian twins, leaving Francis and Gilbert with me to deal with.

Oh god.  
I might be okay, if his bloody friend wasn't still here.

"Don't you gits have other places to be?" I fumed, rolling my eyes.

"Zhat reminds me," Gilbert said, leaving the table, winking at Francis.

There was a silence between us for the rest of the lunch period.

The bell rung, dismissing us, and I turned to leave, not planning on saying anything to him.  
But he grabbed my wrist.

"Wait, Arthzer," He stopped.  
I sighed.  
"What?"  
"In case you didn't notice, I have places to be, like, _classes." _

"I, uh…" He trailed off.  
"I vant to… uh, be able to see more of you…"

"If that was your idea of asking me on a date, then you failed." I said, crossing my arms, yanking my wrist away from him.

"Non! It v-vasn't meant to be taken that way…" He said, blushing slightly.  
"Unless, you _wanted _me to mean that."

"No. I most certainly would not want to go on a date with a frog like you." I said, and with this, I started to head for the door.  
But something stopped me.

I stopped in my tracks, and without looking back, said something to get his attention.

"Oi, wanker…" I said.  
"Walk me home from school today. Meet me by the steps."

I knew that was all I had to say.

…

The two of us walked in silence for a few moments, walking along the pavement.  
Every once in awhile, I'd look at him, then if he noticed, I'd pretend I was looking at the cars passing by us.

"You're strange," He said, finally shaking his head, a smile on his face.

"Oh really?" I smirked.  
"I'm the strange one? I'd say you're the strange one, Frog."

"Vhy do you call me "Frog"?"

"Because that's what you are."

That was a good enough answer for him, because he didn't ask about it ago.  
Just like in the past, Francis didn't mind my insults.

"If we're going to ask questions like that, then why do you call me, _Angleterre?" _

He didn't respond for awhile.

"You vouldn't believe moi if I told you," He said, softly.

…What kind of an answer was that?  
Did he honestly _know _why he felt inclined to call me that?

I stopped in my tracks at this.

"Francis," I said, grabbing hold of his attention.  
He stopped in his tracks as well, and turned to me.

I grabbed his wrist, and for the first time in a long time, I smiled at him, reassuringly.

"Why don't you give it a shot? I'm sure I can take it."

"It's cheesy," He said, after a moment, taking a deep breath.

"Like somezhing out of a bad movie, but I…feel like I met you before."

I felt as though my heart skipped a beat, in that moment.

"Where do you think we've met?" I asked, quietly, trying to keep my cool.

"I believe zhat I… 'ave seen you before. _In a dream." _

**A/N: Ello, my children, I have returned, with yet another chapter~! Tell me what you all think in the reviews, if you have free time! And I shall be seeing you all soon, when I update next! Sorry for taking so long~ Until next time! Read on, if you get bored waiting, I have numerous one-shots on my profile with my other fanfictions. Bye~ **


	14. Favor

_'I…have seen you before. In a dream.'_

In a dream.  
_In a dream._

It was all somehow in the back of his mind, and just couldn't figure it out.  
Why?  
This just made it seem more cruel to me, than it already was.  
Instead of not remembering me at all, he had all this information out in front of him, that he couldn't understand or access it.

I realized that I'd gone silent on him.  
"I know zhat I just made myself look crazy," Francis sighed.

"Lets keep walking and forget I said zhat, oui?"

He started forward, but I stopped him.

"No, wait…" I said.  
"What sort of dream was it?"

Francis groaned.  
"Are you just vanting me to make myself look like even more of a fool?"

"No, I…just bloody tell me about the dream, all right?" I pressured.

I wanted to see if it was just something stupid, or an actual memory. If he had an actual chance of coming back to me anytime soon.

"Vell, in the dream, I… I feel as if I was maybe, dying..? I'm not sure, but, you were there, and…you were on the virge of tears. And I called you "Angleterre" so when I saw you, for real… I only vanted to see if you'd respond to the name…"

Francis finally gave in, and informed me of the "dream" where he'd met me beforehand.  
I swear, my entire world froze around me. That memory of his, that he was convinced was a dream… he was remembering his own death scene. The entire reason, why this all started.

He looked at me, waiting for some sort of reassurance.  
I said nothing for a moment, I just continued walking, gesturing for him to follow.

"I believe you," I informed.

…

"England, Englaaaaand…!" A whiny voice shook me awake in the middle of the night.

"England, wake _up." _

I found myself getting smacked in the face of a pillow.

I opened my eyes, groaning, and turning on my side, getting a glimpse of Peter, who was standing next to the bed, pillow in hand.

My eyes wandered to the clock, it was only 4am.  
"Peter, what on earth? What could possibly be your reasoning for this?"

The short nation frowned.

"I've been thinking… when will it be okay to try and tell Lili that shes not normal? I just want to fix things…"

He really didn't understand this, did he?  
"Shes not going to believe you, Peter." I sighed, closing my eyes.

Silence.  
Then there he was, climbing up into bed with me.

I groaned.  
Fine, I wasn't going to argue with him.

"England?" He tried to get my attention again.

I turned to my side again, facing him.

"Listen, you can't be calling me that, it'll seem crazy…call me Arthur." I told him.

He curled up, pouting.

"How much longer until things go back to normal?" He asked.

It all dawned on me.  
It may not go back to normal.  
It may never be the way it was before, and that was on my head.

If Peter ended up having to deal with his friends not understanding the same things he understood, that would be my fault.

His friends, and my friends may end up spending the rest of their lives, being lied to. Living as some person they weren't.  
Some person they thought they were.

"I'm not sure," I answered.

"Soon, right?" He asked, after another silence.

I looked at those innocent eyes.  
Those innocent eyes that honestly believed with all his heart that things were going to go back to normal.

I reached over, and gently ruffled his hair.

"Yes, soon. Everything will be over soon."

I didn't know who I was lying to more. Peter, or myself.

…

Peter grasped my hand, as the both of us walked down the pavement, towards the house where Yao and his siblings lived.

"So theres a possibility China remembers, right?" Peter asked, half skipping, a big smile on his face.

"Yeah, that's a pretty bloody good possibility." I informed him.

I was trying to be optimistic in front of Peter.  
Even though to be honest, I was absolutely terrified.

We stopped in front of the house, knocking on the door.

It was Mei who opened the door, she tilted her head.

"Hi, Arthur." She said, recalling my name by my appearances at the school, even though the two of us had never really spoken to each other.

She noticed Peter, and kneeled down, a smile touching her timid lips.

"Who is this?"

"This is Peter, he's my brother." I shrugged.

She giggled.  
"He has your eyebrows."

"I do not have that jerk's eyebrows!" Sealand scoffed.

"My eyebrows are much better than his."

I rolled my eyes.

"Peter, please just behave yourself…"  
"Is it all right if I see your brother..?"

"Yao? Yes, you can see Aniki, but…I'll warn you he's extremely confused."  
I nodded.  
"All right."

She pointed down the hall to where his room, was.

"Come along, Peter."

"No!" Peter pouted, suddenly turning childish. More than likely wanting Mei's attention.

"I wanna stay with Mei~."

Mei giggled at him.

"I'll watch him until you're through with Aniki. Peter, do you want a cookie?"

"Do I?" Peter's eyes widened, sparkling with the idea of a cookie.

"You know, cookies first originated from South Korea. Da ze!" Im Yong Soo piped in.

"Quiet, Aniki." Mei brushed him off.

I headed down the hall, and knocked on Yao's door, hoping for the best.

"Ello?" I said.

I opened the door.

Yao was there, he sat at this desk, furiously writing something down on paper.

"Aiyah… if you've come to witness the "crazy" you wouldn't be the first student from this week, aru." He groaned, not looking up from his work.

"What if I told you all that you were the crazy ones?"

"What are you bloody talking about you twat?" I sighed.

I just wanted one sign One sign that he remembered.

"I do not understand how it happened. But you are all living a lie, aru. I'm just waiting for you all to discover it."

"China, I'm not like the others, I understand whats going on."

The second I called him "China" he stopped what he was doing and turned to me.

"England, aru? You're still yourself?" He demanded.

"Yes, I'm still myself…" I told him.

He looked relieved.

"When are my siblings going to turn back? I can't stand them thinking I've gone crazy, aru!"

"That's just it, they might not turn back." I informed.

He stared at me.

"I turned you back, myself."

"I was one of them, aru?" He demanded.

I nodded.

"Then why don't you just do the same to them as you did to me?" He asked.

If he knew he was asking for me to smashed his sibling's heads against the pavement, and jerk their memories back in, he wouldn't be asking for it.

"I need a favor." I said.

"What?" He asked.

"Come back to school."

"And why should I come back, aru?" He asked.

"Theres someone who I believe is possible to turn back to normal," I told him.

"But you're the only one who is capable of doing it."

_**A/N: This chapter was sorta rushed. I'll admit.  
I've been kinda blocked lately, so I just threw down what I could think of. I tried to post for you all last night, but fanfiction was being glitchy.  
I just decided to be quick and post it, because I'm babysitting today for 10 hours. ^^;; And I can't push this back another day.  
Anyway, thank you for reading. Follow and/or review if you can. Until next time~!**_

__


	15. Detention Slips

As soon as I entered the classroom, I heard a quiet argument that was taking place in Chinese.  
The voices belonged to Xiao and Yao.  
Some of Yao's siblings were obviously not happy that he'd come back to work so soon.

"Aniki, just days ago you were talking nonsense." Mei said, softly.  
"Don't you think it's a little soon to come back into work?"

"Nonsense, aru? I remember no such thing." He said, sternly.

"I'm fine now, Mei, can you please just return to your desk? The other students are gathering, aru."

Xiao didn't look too happy.  
He rolled his eyes throwing his hands up slightly in defeat, and headed for the door, because he didn't belong in this class.

Only Kiku, Mei, and Im Yong Soo were actually students of Yao's since they were Freshmen.

Xiao knocked into me slightly as he went out the door of the class.

"Hey! Watch where you're going, you twit." I muttered.

Xiao didn't seem to appreciate my remark, but he kept walking without a word.

I think most of Yao's siblings sensed that Yao coming back to work had something to do with me, considering right after my visit the other day, he decided he was fine, and that he was going back to the school.

I settled myself to my place at my desk. Yao's eyes met mine for a moment, after a second I turned away, recalling what we'd discussed on Saturday, the plan we'd managed to conjure up.

We'd picked the next victim.  
And while, we weren't going to be as straight forward and stupid about it, like I had been with Yao, we knew we had to at least try the safe route, to see if it was possible. We needed to know if the "safe route" would do the job.

Knocking every student over the head wasn't going to cut it.  
It would start to get suspicious if somehow everyone started getting head injuries.

I stared at the clock, and I caught Yao glancing at it every once in awhile.

The class had fully gathered into the room, and were now at their desks.  
All except for one person.  
One desk was empty.

Seconds ticked away.  
And he didn't show up.

Class was now in session, and he wasn't here.  
Exactly as planned.

Yao glanced at the clock again, then looked over to the one empty desk in the class room.

"All right, it's time we got started, aru." Yao said, and quickly after that class was ongoing, as usual.

After about five minutes of class, a hand raised, that hand belonging to Alfred, who had a confused look on his face.  
"Um, can I have permission to speak?" He asked.

"You just _did _speak, aru." Yao informed.  
"But I suppose…do you have a question?"

"Yeah…" Alfred blinked.

Yao sighed.  
"No, Alfred. I'm not going to explain the whole thing over again, if that's what you're going to ask, aru."

"No, no, dude… not that. Though—that would be helpful." He grinned sheepishly.

"Is Ivan, like…sick? His desk is empty." The American asked gesturing to Ivan's empty seat.  
Before Yao could answer a second hand shot up.

"Yes, Lovino?" Yao asked.

"Can'a we all just agree that the stupid bastard American is wasting time right'a about now, and he, and every single student in this class should just shut up?" He grumbled.

Yao crossed his arms, and looked to the older Italian twin sternly.  
"Lovino Vargas, how many times must I inform you that there is no swearing in this classroom, aru?" Yao scolded.

I had to admit, China, despite regaining his true memories, kept the teacher act up pretty well.  
He seemed the same as he did in previous classes he taught, back before he had gotten back to his old self. Well, except he wasn't as much of a pushover as his alto ego had been.

"How'a many times must I say that I don't give a f*ck about your rules?" Lovino pushed on.

Yao blinked.

The whole class went silent, in awe over how rude Lovino was to the teacher, and with no fear.  
It wasn't even jokingly, like some of them would tease him. The Italian seemed dead serious, and over something as stupid as retraining his swearing.

Yao looked blank for a moment, before walking over to his desk, and writing down a detention slip, handing it to Romano.

Without another word on the subject of Lovino's vocabulary, Yao started his lecture, leaving the class in a quiet state of shock, over how blunt both Lovino and Yao had been in that moment.

"Ve~ Fratello, that'a wasn't nice…" Feliciano whispered to his brother, a pout in his voice.

Yao's eyes flashed to the younger Italian nation, no doubt about to tell him not to talk, but suddenly the class door opened.

The silver haired Russian nation, who looked as if he 'd been in a huge hurry to get here was finally in the class room. He looked nervous.

No doubt because he was 10 minutes late for class.  
Most of the teacher's didn't let students into class after it had started and the doors were shut.

The awkwardly tall Russian seemed frantic.

"I am knowing that I am not exactly on time…" He started, his words coming out quickly, in a rush.

Yao turned to look at him.

"Not exactly, aru? You are ten minutes late, I would not deem that acceptable."

"Da, I know, but there is good reasoning for it. It is because—"

Yao held up a hand to stop him.

"There are no excuses," He informed, and he wrote his second detention slip of the day.

"I am on detention duty today, aru. I'll be seeing you after school, Ivan."

Ivan swallowed hard, and looked like he wanted to argue, but saw it would get him nowhere.

He went to his desk, and Yao continued his lecture.

I started taking notes, nonchalantly.

Everything Yao and I had planned out days before was coming right into focus.

If things kept going the way we wanted it to, Ivan would have his true memories returned to him by the end of detention.

_**A/N: Ooh! Yao and Arthur are scheming. You'd better be scared. ^^;  
Anyway, technically, it's 2am so it's not really Tuesday anymore. Though, when am I ever on time? The Tuesday deadline is more of a goal for me than a promise. I hope you guys don't count on it because you should know by now that my chapters are usually "late".  
I apologize for that. Okay, just to point out a few things I haven't explained.  
When I mention the character "Xiao" that is Hong Kong's human name. So if any of you were confused by that, thats who that is. **__**Yes,**__** I wrote Ivan as a Freshmen in highschool on purpose. Because the thought of a super awkwardly tall Russian in a Freshmen classroom amused me.  
And yes, the fact that he was late was due to something Yao and Arthur did that I will write about later on, and explain. The next chapter will probably be written in the third person, focusing on either Yao, or Ivan. Maybe, I'm not quite sure if I'm going to do that or not.  
Anyway. I'm blabbing more than usual. Please review if you can, or have something you want to say. And follow if you're new to this~ thank you. I'll see you all shortly. **_

_  
_


	16. Worksheets

"Dude, don't you get it? I'm going to be in detention with Ivan Braginski, he's totally like the scariest guy in the school!" Alfred whined, as he slammed his locker, which was next to mine.

Great.  
One of the first times Alfred decides to have an actual conversation with me, it's about his  
twat-ish school gossip.

"Did you know his sister, like, has a brother-fetish?" Alfred continued on.

Oh my god.  
I had no interest in any kind of way, over listening to Alfred gossip to me about Natalia's lust to date her brother.

"It's kinda a shame too, dude. Because…shes really pretty, and probably has a lot to offer behind her obsession."

That was slightly thoughtful of him to say… even so, this random talk was getting on my bloody nerves. I'd tried so hard to talk to him before in the past, and now he chose to blab off to me about who was dating who, and who had this complex, and what the bloody hell wouldn't he talk about? I swore that Alfred _did _belong in this type of scenery.

I was pretty sure he would have to seek out Poland to talk about this kind of thing with him.

"Did you that Ivan has a crush on the teacher? You know, the little Chinese one? I think sick crushes kinda run in their family, it might be a kinda "senpai notice me" situation, Kiku explained to me about all the senpai situation, Did you know there are entire animes about that topic? But technically wouldn't this be a "sensei notice me" situation? I wouldn't know because I don't speak Japan-gibberish."

Alfred, was speaking at the speed of light, and I had blocked most of it out, but I had gotten the stupid bit at the end.

"_Japanese." _I corrected, mentally rolling my eyes.

"Dude, what?" He asked, giving off a round of his obnoxious laugh.

"Bloody hell!" I groaned.  
"Can you, I don't know…laugh like a normal person? What I was trying to say, was it's called "Japanese" not "Japan-gibberish", you twit."

Alfred looked at me with a hurt, and surprised expression.

"Well, _excuse me_ for not knowing other cultures!" Alfred retorted.  
"Jesus, you're harsh. I can see why nobody likes you."

Oh, who was the harsh one _now? _

"I beg your pardon, I don't believe that's true, Alfred. I think quite a people like me." I informed.

"In your dreams! Aren't you just some lonely British faggot? And to think I was just trying to be nice to you! Go back to the closet, dude." He slung his backpack over his shoulder, and started down the mostly empty hall to where they were holding detention.

I was left alone in the hall, blinking. I hadn't expected that from him.

* * *

"Lovino Vargas! How many times must I tell you, aru? No earbuds in detention." Yao groaned, walking up to his desk, and held out his hand to the young Italian, who groaned, and hand him a pair of earbuds, and an mp3 player.

Yao counted the students who were meant to be detention.

Lovino Vargas  
Alfred F Jones  
Ivan Braginski  
Emil Steilsson  
And sadly, his own little brother Im Yong Soo. Who'd gotten into trouble for shouting that "science originated in South Korea" in the middle of science class.

He checked off everyone on the list.

Emil looked quite un-amused by his situation and the Icelandic boy just sat at his desk, a blank look on his face, his arms crossed.

Yao sat at the desk in front of the classroom, looking at the five boys who had been sentenced to detention.  
His eyes took a glance towards Alfred F Jones, when suddenly he locked onto his violet eyes. _Violet. _  
This wasn't Alfred at all, but in fact his twin brother, Mattie.

Though, Yao had his true memories back, he still remembered his false ones, and he recalled that this wasn't the first time Alfred had convinced his brother to take his place in detention in hopes that no one would notice.

He sighed.  
Truly the younger twin never really got into trouble for anything. The only times he'd be caught in detention was when he was covering for Alfred.

"Aiyah…" Yao muttered out loud.  
He hoped the students wouldn't give him in trouble on this day.

England claimed that the only person who could help Ivan regain his memories, was him.

It was quite a silly thing to say, because he and Ivan weren't all that close.  
Or that's what he liked to tell himself.  
Truth be told, Yao was probably more accepting of Ivan than anyone else.

He saw no reason to fear him at all, like the other countries did. He was clearly misunderstood.  
They had history together to prove it.

To be honest, this whole thing was a big shock to the Chinese nation.  
Everything was suddenly so out of touch, it felt as if he blacked out, and woke up with an entire different period of time.

Everything had changed.  
He wasn't comfortable with his siblings not knowing their true identities. He wasn't comfortable being one of the only ones that knew the truth.

England wasn't the most supportive nation.  
And he was hiding something…  
Every single time he asked how this entire situation happened, he was quiet. He didn't want to answer the question, and that scared the older nation.

What was so horrible that Arthur couldn't tell the truth about?

Mattie, raised his hand softly.

"U-um… is it okay if we study? W-we have a history exam in a few weeks…"  
_Oh right._  
Mattie.

Yao sighed a bit.  
"Mattie, you can go…tell Alfred that I want to see him after school tomorrow with the principal to talk about his actions, aru."

Mattie looked shocked.  
Obviously, the other teacher's never recognized him as a poser before in the past.  
It almost seemed as if Mattie should get into trouble for posing as his brother, but Yao realized how passive Mattie could be, so he spoke nothing on the matter.

"I-I'm sorry…" The Canadian nation managed to say, his eyes wide.  
"A-Al had things to do, and I-I—"

"It's fine, aru. Just let him know that he has to meet up with me and the principal tomorrow after school."

The shy Canadian boy grabbed his books, nodding, and quickly retreating from the scene, leaving the other four boys.

Recalling the plan he and Arthur thought up, Yao nodded, remembering the second step.

"As for history, aru. I got permission from Mrs. Leeson to give you guys this worksheet," He started, getting out the papers he and Arthur had prepared for this.

This was of course a total lie.  
He hadn't gotten permission from the history teacher to give them worksheets. But what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them.

It was of course all fixed.

"This is'a detention, not f*cking class!" Lovino protested.

The exasperated Chinese nation groaned.

"I will add 10 minutes to your detention session if you can't keep quiet, Lovino."

The older Italian twin shut up.

"Now, before I was so rudely interrupted, aru… these don't count for your grades. They're just to prepare you for your test that is coming up in a few weeks. You can choose to take it or not. But it will at least give you something to do during this detention."

Yao handed out the work sheets.  
Which included history facts and questions having to do with The Second Sino-Japanese War, which Ivan had defended him, and helped him fight in. And other things having to do with Russian history.  
They all started on it, and finished it before detention ended.

When the session was completely over, they all one by one, dropped their worksheet on Yao's desk.

Yao watched as three of the boys left the room.  
Arthur had wanted to put whole plan into action and get Ivan's memories back _that day. _  
But Yao knew better.  
He had the patience that England lacked. He wouldn't be able to convert Ivan so quickly. It would take days, maybe weeks.

But he would get through to him, slowly, but surely.

"Ivan, aru." Yao called out his name, stopping the Russian in his tracks.

The tall Russian turned, facing his teacher, his innocent lilac eyes, brightening slightly.

"Da?" He asked.

A bit of blush crossed the older nation's face as he realized he hadn't thought through what he was going to say to him.

"I-I'll… see you in my class tomorrow…" He stated the obvious.

"H-have a good rest of the day, aru!"

The Russian grinned a bit, then nodded, waving slightly before leaving the room.

Yao nearly face-palmed at how childish and pointless he'd seem right in that moment.  
But still.  
An encounter was an encounter no matter how it turned out.  
It was like Japan's dating sims, and visual novels, almost!

It's just the encounters that count at the beginning.

"I bet these worksheets originated in South Korea~ da ze!" Yao's little brother interrupted his thoughts, skipping over to the desk .

It amazed Yao how Im Yong Soo didn't even know he was South Korea, and still he obsessed over what originated from it, just like he had before.  
He was like the same person, without the memories, if that was possible.

"Are you ready to go home, Aniki?" He asked.

Yao nodded a bit.  
"In a few minutes, aru. You wait outside I just have to read through these worksheets first." He grinned a bit, reassuring his younger brother.

Im Yong Soo nodded, before charging out the door, and into the empty hallways.  
China quickly started going through the papers.

Lovino hadn't done it, as expected.

He just scribbled all over it, and wrote in big letters "f*ck you, you stupid teaching bastard".

Well, then… _rude. _

But the other three had done it.

And as he had expected.

Out of the three boys that had taken the test, Ivan scored the highest.  
His answers were unique, and detailed. He hadn't missed a single question.

He knew everything there was to know about Russian history.

It was all still clear in his mind.  
Now, Yao just had to use the plan to access those memories.

**A/N: Oh look~! I posted on time this week! ^^;  
I almost have 80 followers at this point, which is really exciting to me! I never expected to get so much credit for this story! Thanks for reading, and leave a review if you can! Bye guise! Until next time~ **


	17. From Hero, To Bully

"No, you're totally right, dude! It is a "sensei" notice me situation!" Alfred laughed.

"Hai. Considering that Sensei means "teacher" and senpai just basicry means upper crassmen." Kiku said quietly, not really looking up at his obnoxious American acquaintance.

"Ahahaha! Dude! Your accent is _hilarious. _Say more words!" The American urged.

"Say what, exactry?" Kiku asked, shyly, this time looking up from his sketchpad that he had resting on his lap.

"Say…Election! Oh my god! Say election!"

"But why?"

"Just say it!"

"…Erection?"

With that, the entire class burst into laughter.

Kiku's face turned slightly crimson, and he turned back to his sketching when he realized what his innocent word must have sounded like to his classmates. 

I rolled my eyes, looking over to the timid Japanese boy, who was now pretending like he couldn't hear Alfred.

A few girls in the back whispered about him just barely loud enough for him to hear.

"F*cking stupid foreigner, doesn't even know'a what his accent is going to sound like to others before'a he says it!"

The class laughed again, as if what the older Italian twin said was really smart, or even remotely funny.  
Which, it wasn't.

Even if they truly were countries behind all this, all of them had the humor and cruelty of normal teenagers.  
It wasn't pretty.

Kiku's face was extremely red at this point.  
And like normal teenagers, once it started, they didn't like to stop.

"Whoa, dude, what is you're drawing?" Alfred at that, took his sketchbook, and laid his eyes on what looked to be a very detailed picture of an anime girl in a maid dress.

"Aahaha, dudes look! Kiku has some sort of maid fetish! Did you get molested by a maid or something as a kid?"

And the class, as expected, laughed again.  
About a very _serious _matter.  
While, I knew Kiku hadn't been molested, as Alfred was putting it, it was still not a laughing matter.

"Prease give that back to me..?" The Japanese boy asked, reaching for his sketchbook.

"No can do, bro." Alfred said, and he started going through the rest of the drawings.

Alfred stopped on one of the pages that looked to be just a page of doodles, and things that Kiku had written down, and once more, he laughed, and started showing it to the rest of the class.

All over that one page Kiku had written the name "Vash", not to mention he'd put his own name, with Vash's last name, and doodled hearts, all the sort of thing a _school girl _would do.

"Everyone, look! Kiku has a crush on that German from the Sophomore class!"

"He is Swiss…" Kiku muttered under his breath.

At this point, the Japanese boy was standing, no longer trying to get the book back from him.  
Alfred was taller than him by about a head or so, and it was no use.

He just stood there, staring at his feet, his face obviously red.

All right.  
I couldn't take this.

This wasn't like Alfred at all.  
Back when we were all countries, Alfred and Kiku were _friends. _  
And here he was, basically _bullying _him.

It wasn't like him at all!  
He couldn't be both a hero and a bully.

"Alfred, you git! Give the poor chap back his goddamn book!" I said, finally intervening and standing.

"Oh, look. The British fag is defending the _newly discovered _fag! Isn't that sweet?" Alfred laughed.

"A-Alfred, c-can you stop?" Mattie nervously asked.  
He remained seated, in the desk next to Alfred's, probably much too scared to get up, and _actually _become involved.

I didn't blame him.

"T-This isn't like you… I-I've never seen you bully someone else, I-I've only seen you defend people… c-can you just… _p-please _stop before the teacher gets here?"

"To hell with it, Matt! You're a faggot too, you know? Yeah. I said it. My own little brother is nothing but a stupid fag." Alfred sneered.

Mattie's violet eyes were starting to get teary.  
Whether the statement was true or not, it was the way he said it.  
The voice he was using.  
That horribly mean tone.

This wasn't Alfred…

"A-Al…"

That was the last straw. He wasn't going to be allowed to act this way! Whether he saw me as an older brother figure in this weird Alternate universe, or not, I wouldn't just stand by and let him speak to his own younger brother that way.

"I think this has been going on for quite enough bloody time," I stepped in, lightly shoving him away from Mattie.

"You can very well call me names. I don't care, but, Alfred F Jones you will _not _act so horridly towards your own little brother!"

"Get the f*ck out of my business, you goddamn killjoy."  
And with this, Alfred, without any hesitance whatsoever, swung his fist at me, and hit me right in the mouth.

By complete shock, I bit down on my lip, and blood _poured _from it.  
I tasted it in my mouth, which I instantly covered, trying to avoid letting my blood hit the floor.

The whole class stared at the scene in shock, they didn't think it was so funny anymore.

Blood seeped through my hands, and I was too surprised to do much about it.

Mei, Kiku and Im Yong Soo had fled the room to get their brother earlier, and this was of course the moment Yao decided to the enter the room.

"A-Aiyah!" He pulled Alfred away from me.  
"What the hell were you all thinking, aru? That is _not _okay! Do you see? He is _bleeding!" _

I looked up right at the exact moment Alfred's smug expression turned to one of guilt and shock.  
His blue eyes that had looked careless and rough turned innocent, and he started to look more like the dorky over the top clueless Alfred I knew.

"O-oh, my god…Arthur, I'm so sorry!" He looked actually worried about me, after he'd been the one to curse me out, and hit me in the first place.

"A-Alfred..?" Mattie looked up, tears in his hurt violet eyes.

"Mattie?! M-Mattie, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean…" Alfred seemed on the verge of some sort of mental breakdown.

"I don't know what came over me, I-I just…"

"A-Aniki, I'll take Arthur to the nurse for you, Da ze!" Im Yong Soo rushed to my side, leading me out the door, leading me away from the whole scene.

As I walked down the halls towards the nurse's office, I heard Im Yong Soo blabbing something along the lines of school nurse offices originating in South Korea, or something or other…

But I wasn't listening to that.  
It was then, and only then that I realized it.

Back, the other day, when Alfred had called me a name, and just a few moments ago, when he went from being completely normal happy, over the top Alfred, to vicious bully.

…Putting it together… it was then that I knew, if they didn't regain their memories, and remember who they truly were… then they were going to completely fade eventually.

Those random spur of the moment times where Alfred would turn into someone completely outrageously unlike him, that was going to start happening to _everyone. _

If I couldn't help them all to get back their memories… they would eventually mold into someone else.

This time, with no broken memories floating in the back of their heads.

They'd be turning into someone else. _For good. _

_**A/N: PLOT TWIST. DUN DUN DUUUUN. owo Arthur has a time limit! Guys, I didn't realize how much swearing I've started adding into this... sorry about that. I try to censor it with "*" most of the time, if it's a really bad word. (In real life, I don't like swearing too much, I only use it while writing fanfiction, because at times I feel like it's needed. ^^;) You guys don't think the rating should be changed to M because of the swear words, do you? You guys probably don't care. Not many people care about swearing like I do.  
Sorry for keeping you guys still waiting. It's 11:00 at night, here. Nevertheless, still on time because it's not Wednesday yet. It's still Tuesday.  
I've been having a rough time lately, guys. I won't give too many details and bore you all with my real life drama, but I have a lot of problems with my dad. Horrible relationship, grudges that have lasted years at a time, and yeah... I've just been breaking down a lot this year. My mom keeps on suggesting that I see a therapist, I just have a lot of feelings. ;w; So if I'm ever late, then.. thats why. I hope you guys like this chapter! Review, please? **_


	18. Real, Yet Unreal

"No, aru… I've been telling you that we cannot rush it! This sort of thing takes time, and we cannot just—"

"Don't you f*cking get it, you twat?! What America displayed back there! It's going to start happening to everyone, they're going to lose sight of who they are, and actually become human! _Actual_ humans."

My words silenced Yao, he looked at me completely in awe.

"Ivan… and my siblings as well, aru?" He asked.

"_Everyone." _I nodded.

Another silence.

"Well, whats your suggestion? Just knock everyone down, and beat their memories back into their heads?" Yao demanded sarcastically.

"We have to do _whatever _we can. This cannot be handled with care…not anymore…we're out of time."

. . . .

Thoughts swirled through his head uncontrollably, he couldn't…wouldn't, stop. He couldn't even understand what was happening.  
His thoughts, what was happening was all so unclear.

He felt as if he could focus, everything seemed like a blur.  
Arthur was, like, totally a cool guy, and this was the second time he'd blown up on him.

No…the third time?  
He was losing sight of it.  
He was starting to have these memories… these memories of things that seemed so real, and yet, unreal.

Visions of Arthur shouting, yelling, crying, as he walked away from him.

Visions of… Mattie? He and Mattie, talking, interacting, in ways they'd never interacted like before.

He suddenly had all this, and yet… it disappeared, just as fast.

What the hell was happening to him? Why couldn't he think straight?  
Why did he feel these horrible urges that were making him act out violently?

…Why… did he suddenly feel as if he knew Arthur, since before he came to the school…like he'd…met him in a dream..?

. . . .

It was all there… in the back of their minds.  
That was what I had been relying on this entire time, and now… and _now, _I was going to lose even that.

Soon everyone was going to become someone they weren't.  
Not all of them would be as drastic as Alfred's change… some of them would barely change, or slowly change and so subtly that I wouldn't notice, and it would still be too late.

I started to become paranoid.  
I was part of the spell as well, wasn't I? Would I start to mold into someone else as well?

Oh my god…

I suddenly found myself thinking back on the earliest memories I could think of, trying to make sure I hadn't missed anything slipping away.

It was all firmly there, still.  
I remembered playing in the forest as a child, running freely, wind in my hair…

I remembered my brothers, I remembered resenting them.

I remembered the first time I met Francis as a child, and how his feminine features had led me to believe he was a girl.

After our meeting, I suddenly found us doing, nearly everything together, we'd exchange fairytales, while he'd tell pretty ones, like Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty, I'd tell ones trying to intentional scare him.

That… that, connection I had with him, I wanted it back.

It wasn't the same…

It was only a matter of time before the spell started affecting Francis as well.  
Who the hell knew, maybe it had started already…  
I couldn't think that way.

It was too horrid to think about.

"M-my brother… is never like this…" A quiet voice, that belonged to Mattie, startled me.

School had already been let out?  
I'd been let out a bit early, because of the encounter with Alfred, they'd told me to go home, and relax, but what was the point of going back to the house..? The house here… it wasn't my home.

Nothing about this alternate universe felt right.  
_Nothing. _

I sat there, on the steps outside of the school, looking out at the school yard.

I guess school was being let out, since Mattie was suddenly in front of me, near tears.

"No, no. It's all right, I had it coming." I tried to reassure the Canadian boy who seemed in shock, after seeing Alfred act the way he had.

"N..no, you didn't… you were trying to help Kiku… I…admire that… I-I'm always too scared to stand up for others…a-and…well, myself…"

With those words, he continued down the steps.  
Romano, who always seemed so harsh and straight forward, in this world or otherwise, was at the bottom of the steps waiting for him.

He seemed rather soft on Mattie, his expression calm, as he said things to Matthew that I couldn't hear from here.

I sighed, shaking my head. Mattie _had _always chosen the strangest friends.

Though… who really chose their friends?  
You make yourself think you choose who your friends are, but really…it just happens.  
Whether you like it or not.

In my case, as a child, I would constantly tell Francis to go away, and this and that, when truly I almost craved for him to come back around bothering me again.

Luckily, the Frenchmen always had some sick way of telling what I meant… he always knew…  
No one I'd ever known other than him had gotten to a point where they understood me that way.

"Kesese~!" That obnoxious laughter made it's way towards me.

"Zhats quite zhe shiner you have zhere."

Remembering my injured lip, and how it must have looked to people, I turned around and I glared at the Albino boy.

"Shut the hell up, you wanker!" I snapped.

"Whoa, whoa… what's wrong there, amigo?" Antonio kicked in.

Gilbert and Antonio were here, did that mean…?

"Mon dieu, what have earth 'ave you been doing? You look terrible…"  
_Yep. _  
_Francis. _

"Get lost!" I said, crossing my arms, and turning away.  
"'Ey…vhat 'as 'appened to you, mon ami?" Francis asked softly, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"I…I don't have to tell you about it, git! Just leave me be…"

Francis showing up, having someone I felt as if I could actually talk to, my emotions in the situation were starting to come out, and I hated it.

I hated how I was instantly vulnerable to him, and yet, I needed it.

"Come on, Toni. Lets leave Francis and his _boyfriend _alone, ja?" Gilbert smirked.

With this, he and Antonio disappeared.

I didn't even feel like I had the strength to yell at them, for accusing Francis and I of dating.

There was a pause between Francis and I.

"Now…are you planning on telling moi vhat 'appened, Angleterre?"

With those words, I snapped.

"Stop that!"

"Stop…vhat?"

"Calling me by that bloody name, you muppet! You don't know what it means…"

"Of course I know vhat it means… it means "England" in French." He informed me, confused.

"No, you goddamn white-flag waving, surrender monkey! Dammit! You don't know what it means… y-you don't know what it means to _me.." _

What the hell…? Was I honestly choosing now to snap? To have a breakdown?  
I felt as if I wanted to cry.  
But why…?  
Because I was _petrified.  
_I was scared to death of losing Alfred, Kiku, Matthew… Francis.. I was scared of losing them, scared of losing what had taken centuries on end to build up.

My voice had been shaking at that point.  
And without warning, Francis yanked me forward, pulling me into an embrace.  
That was all that needed to happen, and he knew that.  
He knew his words wouldn't solve how I felt.

He always knew what to do…somehow, he always knew…

"A-are you… still having those dreams?" I asked after a moment.

"Vhat dreams..?"

"You _know _which ones I mean."

More silence.

"Oui…"

His memories… were still in tact.  
I could still save him.

"W-what if I told you…" I started.

"T-that those dreams were actually your reality?"

**_A/N: Aaaand.  
I'm late. ;w;  
I'm so sorry, guys. This chapter is like, late and stuff.. it's midnight here, so technically it's not Tuesday anymore.  
But! The plot is moving right along~! You guys might see the ending soon~ OwO  
Thank you so much for all the support. I have almost made it to 100 followers, and I will die of happiness if I actually manage to reach that number.  
Again, thank you! And until next time~ _**


	19. No Longer A Game

"Kiku!"

"_…Kiku, aru!" _

Tears began streaming down the older nation's cheeks, as he shook the other, trying to wake him, but to no avail.

"P-please, you have to wake up… y-you have to…"

Yao coughed, the smoke around him burnt his eyes, and the heat around him felt hotter than ever.  
With every cough he felt weaker. He knew he wouldn't be able to carry his little brother to safety, he felt like curling up, himself, closing his eyes, and letting the flames take him.

Yes, that is correct. _Flames. _

This was all for nothing anyway, wasn't it? He and Arthur… they'd failed to fix it in time, they'd _failed. _  
He'd failed every single of one his siblings… he'd brought them back, only to have them killed, he didn't even know if it was a better option to die as themselves at this point.  
Maybe it would have been better for them, and himself to die clueless.

The room continued to fill with smoke, which accompanied the flames.  
He couldn't even see the exit at this point, even if he attempted to drag his little brother out, he might just be pulling right into the arms of the flames.

…There were worst ways to die, right?  
What was even going to happen to the rest of them?

Ivan, and Xiao…all those others who remembered who they truly were.  
Were they going to just disappear?

Just suddenly die off…?

He didn't understand…why this… had to happen…

Having no way of escaping the undeniable flames, he curled up, pulling his motionless brother close to him, hiding his face in his shoulder.

"…Wǒ ài nǐ, Kiku… forgive me…"

. . . .

**_48 hours earlier._**

_'W-what if I told you…T-that those dreams were actually your reality?'_

Silence.  
No response other than his shocked expression.

We had pulled away from each other, and now… just that horrifying silence, taunting me, telling me I'd made a mistake, being so damn straight forward with him.

"Vhat… zhe hell are you talking about…?" He finally muttered.

He had this look in his blue eyes, confused, as well as angry. Angry that I'd made a proposal so far from normal, but yet, sounded so serious.

He, as anyone would… feared this change, feared the very thought of something so outrageous being true.

Maybe he'd thought it on his own, but once said by another living breathing, sane person, it seemed outrageous. It wasn't what he wanted to hear.

He wanted to hear that he, himself, was crazy, that none of this could ever be changed.  
He was just a normal human.

No such luck, there.  
We were far from being normal.  
Even this state…this state we were in, wasn't even normal.

Still, no matter how much in denial he may have been, I had to stand my ground at this point, insist on it.

I had to make him at least believe, that was the first step to remembering.

"I meant exactly what I said, you twit… those dreams… they're your reality, as well as mine, and nearly everyone else at this school."

"_Zhis _is reality! You don't even know a thing about zhe dreams I've been 'aving, and now you are telling moi zhat my true "reality" is within zhese silly dreams? What sort of fool do you take moi for?" He retorted.

"You dream you're some sort of personification of a country, right?" I instantly came back with a response.

"You see flashes of everyone from this school, and wars… wars that you think you've never truly lived through, and yet you see them in such bloody detail, that it seems impossible that you're even dreaming of it… you dream of you and I, together for centuries and centuries on end, yelling at each other, swearing up and down to _god _that we hate each other, and yet… we still stay together. And you dream of your death… just like you told me, you see me, crying over you, begging you not to fall asleep, and that's when you wake up…"

Silence, and yet another look of shock, but this time he seemed to be more afraid… afraid that I knew so much.

"Go on, and try and tell me that not even half that was true, I dare you, git."

He blinked, staring at me, it was obvious he had no idea what to think now.

"Think about it… you start having these blasted dreams, and then I show up… in the same school as you, afterwards. This scenario scares you, only because you see how it can't be a joke… you know that I'm right, this isn't where we belong, Francis!"

All he did was shake his head.

"Non, I... I can't, none of zhis is true… you're lying…"

"It's not a f*cking lie!" I retorted, sounding more harsh, and desperate than I ever meant to.

"You don't believe me, only because you don't want to! But please, goddammit… you have to believe me, this entire thing… it's my fault… I just want everything to go back to the way it was…"

"You're crazy, Arthzer…crazy!" He continued to shake his head, in rejection, his blue eyes just as shocked, and scared as ever.

"Francis…" I reached forward, in an attempt to grab his hand, to pull him back over to me, but he smacked my hand back.

"Non! No, don't you even dare try to touch moi..! J-just stay away…"

Without another word out of his mouth, he turned away, and took off as fast as he could.

God… that, was the biggest mistake I had made since I'd gotten here.  
I covered my face with my hands, groaning.

I felt like screaming, yelling, I felt as though I wanted to pound my hands against the brick wall of the school.

How the hell could have been so stupid? Actually outwardly telling him? Of course he'd reject any information I gave him!

"Arthur, aru!" Suddenly China's voice rang out, and he came running down the front steps of the school towards me, breaking me from pity party I was mentally throwing for myself.

"Not now, you muppet…this isn't the best bloody time for me to be dealing with you," I groaned.

This earned me nothing, but a punch in the shoulder.

"Aiyah! What is your problem?!" He demanded.

He honestly just sucked at sensing the mood, didn't he?

"You just caught me at a bad time, is all! Just shut the hell up, all right…?"

"What is this, aru? First the notes, and now you're acting like this! What kind of horrible attempt to scare me is this, aru?"

Notes…?  
What the heck was this twat talking about?

"Notes…? I don't know about any freaking notes…"

Yao blinked, that was obviously not what he wanted to hear from me.

All the hope he had left in his eyes disappeared.

"You mean to say… you didn't write those awful notes that I found in my office?" He demanded softly.

"I don't remember writing you any sort of note." I told him.

He sighed, taking a second to process the whole thing.  
Whatever he was going to tell me, wasn't good news.

Just when things were looking bad, here came Wang Yao to the rescue to make it even _worse. _

"You may want to read these then, aru…"

With this, he handed me a pile of notes, with a handwriting that I'd never seen before in my life.

I couldn't pinpoint it.  
All I could do was stare at the messages they had on them. I kept reading them over and over again, trying to tell myself they couldn't be real, and yet… I somehow knew they were.

"Oh my god…" I muttered, not caring how much fear reeked from my tone.

This curse… this whole situation… this was no longer a game, in any way, shape, or form.

**_A/N: Aaaand! I made it slightly more on time this time~! It's 10:30 where I am, and I'm just finishing editing, and writing this authors note. This is the stories final push, it's going to end soon, just a warning.  
This is it, the final twist in the plot that will lead to the end.  
But don't freak out yet, because I still have quite a few more chapters to write before you can see the ending.  
Thank you for reading, you guys! I'll try to update soon! Before next Tuesday, actually. I'm going to try to update more, now. But don't expect anything from me, by now you should all know how bad I am at this. Just expect the normal Tuesday update, and if I do manage to work more often, you'll get a nice surprise.  
Until next time~ thank you for reading, and please review!_**


	20. Catching Fire

"What? What is it, aru? Spit it out!"

Yes, Yao was asking me what was wrong, even though he'd seen the notes himself. Reasoning for that?  
Yao, should have known what they said, since he'd seen them, right?  
Wrong.

Wrong, wrong, wrong.  
He couldn't read it.  
He _couldn't. _

How could he read a note that had been sent by the spell itself?  
The _curse, _I should say.

This was no longer a happy little spell I'd used to bring Francis back, this was a full on _curse _that could and would possibly end every last one of us.

The notes… they were in a code, a code only I could read.

Notes only the caster of the curse could read.

"England! What the hell does it say?!" Yao demanded, getting more and more afraid.

"Game over," I answered.

"What, aru?"

"You heard me!" I snapped.

"I said _game over." _

. . . . . . .

That's all this was.  
A game.  
A silly, over the top, childish game!  
Not only would everyone forget who they really were entirely... but this world, this _fake _world, would self-destruct.

None of these other people… none of them were real.  
They were bots, pawns…  
emotionless pawns to trick us into thinking this hell on earth of a world was real.

This was no longer just about me, and my needs! Wanting Francis to return to the way he was, it wasn't about just that anymore.

To clarify.

My spell, my _curse _was coming to an end.

This entire "world" was from here on out a ticking time bomb.

And those who didn't remember…those who didn't return to who they really were…would go down with the ship.

This world really and truly was about to take us to hell, and back again.

Not only did I have limited time to help them regain their memories, but if I let them slip away from me, I'd _really _be letting them slip away.

They would cease to exist.

This whole entire scenario could be for nothing…  
It was totally a possibility, that I may be losing Francis all over again.

. . . .

"Peter~! You can't catch me!" Lili laughed.

"That's so untrue! I can _so!" _Peter protested.

He chased the small blonde girl across the school playground outside the elementary school.  
Peter was there, all his friends, the micro-nations were there, and yet… they weren't.

Yes, they were there, but they weren't.  
Their personalities were in tact, but yet, they had no idea who they really were.

He almost thought he would have liked it better if he'd never regained his memories in the first place, maybe it wouldn't have hurt as much then… maybe he wouldn't remember spending time with Lili, and WY, Latvia, all the younger nations, and micro nations that had become his close friends.

It was odd.

Too odd, to see his friends act as if they thought they were human.  
It was so unsettling…

He chased the other nation across the playground.  
She was blissfully unaware of all the chaos that was really going on.

The young Micro nation wanted more than anything for his friend to remember.

He grabbed hold of her wrist, catching her.

"Got you!" He informed, but at this exact moment the both of them went tumbling down into the grass.

He grabbed hold of her, instantly protective over the other, then they hit the ground.

"Lili! Are you all right…?" He asked.

"I'm fine, I—"  
She cut herself off, her eyes widening, hand clamping over her mouth.

"Hey, whats wrong…?" Peter asked.

Her eyes were locked onto the sky.

"I-it's…" She couldn't say what she was trying to say.

Peter turned, and looked up, seeing what she was seeing now.

The sky, that had previously been blue, was slowly getting crossed over with hot flames, burning the clouds, and blueness of it away.

It was like something out of an apocalypse movie!

…Somehow, the sky was catching fire.

**_A/N: Oh look! I'm on time for once~! Like, not even late, like at night! I didn't procrastinate today. OwO  
Okay, so this chapter was short, and maybe confusing to some of you? I'm not sure if you can fully grasp the concept or not! So I'll try to briefly explain.  
The curse is ending. The other people in that "world" that aren't the countries, aren't really there. They're kinda like bots, projected by the curse to make it seem more real.  
The fake world that was created by the spell or curse or whatever is coming to an end.  
It's going to send those who remember back to the real world.  
But those who can't remember who they are will go down with the curse.  
Kinda like an apocalypse scenario! I hope you all understand it, and yeah! I'm sorry it's short. I'm going try and update again this week since it's so short! But I love you guys, and I'll post soon! Until then~ _**


	21. Connection

"Lili…? Lili what are you doing here?" Vash exclaimed, surprised, when his little sister threw her arms around him.

"Big bruder, everything is scary!" She informed, it was obvious that she'd been freaking out earlier, you could still hear the tears in her voice.

"I know, I know…" He nodded, running his fingers through his little sisters hair.

Peter was here as well, I saw him, he kept looking up at the sky, a look of terror in his eyes.  
And he _knew.  
_He knew it was part of the curse that I'd cast.

I grabbed hold of his wrist, and kneeled down to his height.

"Peter?" I whispered.

He blinked, and turned to me.  
"Y-you jerk, England! This is _all _your fault!" He hissed back, he was attacking me out of fear, and he had a right to.

"I know, I'm sorry…but theres something more important I need to know." I said, keeping calm.

"W-what is it…?" He asked.

"Everyone from your school…all the countries, and micronations…they're here, right? _All of them?" _

He nodded.  
"Y-yes… why…?" Sealand answered, but a second later looked confused by it.

"I'll explain it to you, later."

I nodded, rising up.

"Everyone who is outside, needs to get back inside the school! It is _not _safe for you to go home!" I shouted, over the sound of the crowd.

"Who the hell made you our "oh so wise" leader? This is the freaking apocalypse, bro!" America shouted, getting face to face with me.

"Oh, shut up, Alfred! Why the hell are you trying to make this harder?" I demanded.

"Because I'm speaking for the crowd! No one trusts you! No one wants to follow you, dude, they're just too shaken up to say anything for themselves!"

…Oh god.  
This was not a good time to have someone standing against me.  
I had no clue how much time I had left to bring them back, and I had no idea how I was going to do it.  
But I knew I needed everyone to be together.

"Listen, Alfred! I am trying to _save _you!" I shouted back.

"A-Al…maybe you should listen to him…?" Mattie asked, timidly trying to grab Alfred's hand to calm him down.

"Shut up!" Alfred snapped, and without thinking, he swung his fist at his little brother.  
It hit Mattie so hard, and took him by such surprise that he went falling back onto the ground.

I could instantly spot the regret in Alfred's eyes that came right after he hit him.

"Mattie, oh my god, I'm so—" He tried to help Mattie off to the ground, but he smacked his hand away, tears welling in his violet eyes.

"Save it, Al… just save it…"

Alfred's eyes were wide, and everyone in the crowd was staring at us.

He glanced down at his fist that was still clenched, and was now shaking.

"This isn't you…" I told him, touching his shoulder, trying to reassure him.

"Something is happening… something bad… and you're being effected by it."

Alfred was too shaken up to argue with me now, he nodded.

"Everyone needs to get _back _in the school!" I told everyone again.

They all still looked unsure of me, until Yao stepped right up next to me.

"You need to listen to him, aru…he's right." He informed.

It seemed they were all more assured with a teacher telling them what to do, with this, they all headed into the school, no more questions asked.

. . .

We were all gathered in the cafeteria in silence.  
I didn't know what to say, I didn't know what to do.

I just knew that if I couldn't convince every one of these people the truth, then I would lose them.

Yao knew just as much as I did, I could see the worry in his eyes.

Everyone just sat there at the tables, silence eating up the room, they were all scared to death, after seeing the sky like that.

I couldn't just stay in silence anymore.  
Keeping this entire thing was no help to anyone.  
I had to try to at least explain it.

Not a lot of people would buy me just saying some over the top explanations, telling them that they're _nations _of all things.  
That... I had caused this.

"Well, I guess that you're all wondering why you're here…?" I started off, nervously.

"We'a already know, you bastard! It's'a obviously because the f*cking sky is _on fire." _Romano shouted back.

"Shh… Lovi… it's okay…" Antonio told him, trying to calm him down.

Silence again.

"I know it's going to sound crazy…" I started again.

"But after you saw the sky like that… you should be able to believe anything."

Everyone's eyes were on me, they looked as if they were ready to take any crazy thing I had to say.

"This…isn't real." I said, slowly.

The crowd murmured in response to the statement, talking to each other, confused, trying to understand what I meant.

"None of this is real."

"Vhat are you trying to say zhen…?" Gilbert asked.

"Zhat we're all dreaming…?"

"No, we're not dreaming, Gilbert." I tried to inform.

This was going to be harder than I thought.

I sighed.

"Have any of you ever… loved someone so much that you'd do anything for them…?"

I got a few nods in response to that.

"W-what if… that someone… _died…?"_ I asked, shakily, remembering it all over again.

"What would you do, then?"

"What _could _we do…?" Xiao asked.  
"Anyone would be sad, maybe even turn to depression, it would be hard to get over, but eventually you'd have to get over it, right?"

"In most cases, that's true… but…what if… you had the chance to bring them back? Wouldn't you do it? If you had a second chance with them, would you take it?" I asked, slowly.

"Well, duh…anyone would take the chance if they could." Elizabeta informed.

"Da, I suppose I would take it, as well…" Ivan nodded.

"That's just not a reality, though." Xiao chipped in, again.

"But what if it was…? What if someone really _did _find a way to take that chance, and then took it…?"

"What is it that you're getting at?" Emil asked.

I sighed.  
"We all know each other, and not from this school…we've known each other since long before now." I told them.

"Go ahead, and _tell _me…look me in the eye, and tell me that with certain people at this school, you didn't instantly feel a connection…tell me that you didn't feel like… you had somehow met them in a dream."

Silence.

I silently pleaded for someone to speak up.  
Try to prove my point.  
Oh god, anyone.

"Da, I felt some connection…" Someone finally spoke up.  
The tall Russian stood, nodding, a bit of blush crossing his face.

"The moment I saw Yao, I had this weird feeling like I have seen him before, interacted with him before, but I couldn't figure out how, or why I felt that way…"

Yao's ember eyes instantly looked relieved.

After that confession, a lot of others said the same thing, about different nations.  
Nations that had possessed a strong connection with that nation, in the past.

This was one step closer.

"This is all so weird, but… I'm not sure I can understand what you're getting at here." Mei said, looking down, shyly.

A hand shot up.  
The hand belonged to Florence, who had been Monaco, before this whole thing started.  
In this universe, she was Francis' little sister, which made sense considering they'd always had a sibling sort of relationship, even before.

"Hm…yes, what is it…?"

"I don't know if you 'ave noticed or not, mon ami… but my brothzer… 'e isn't not 'ere."

…Oh god.

It hit me.  
I'd let it completely slip my mind that earlier on Francis had run off.

Hell itself was raining down on this "world", and Francis was out there somewhere…

**A/N: Oh look~! I updated early~ Hehehehe~ OwO I'll still be updating Tuesday as well, I just thought you guys could use an extra update.  
As you guys can see, this story is drawing very close to it's ending. I just wanna say, I've had so much fun writing it, and it's new for me. I've never written anything like this before.  
I still have a few updates in me, so don't freak out.  
Also... if I could ask a favor... it would be SO much to me if I could get 100 followers on this before it's over. So if you haven't followed yet, please do it if it's not too much trouble! Review if you can~ and until next time, guys, thanks for reading. **


	22. Going Down In Flames

"Arthur, aru! You can't go out there!" Yao shouted after me, grabbing my wrist, stopping me right by the exit.

"You can't stop me, I have to go after him!" I informed, yanking myself away from him.

The other nation sighed, looking down at his feet for a moment.  
"B-but what about the others…? I can't help them on my, aru… I need you."

I sighed, myself.

"They've already taken a step in the right direction. Just keeping leading them there, and keep them together, no matter what, no one leaves this school, got that?"

Yao's childish eyes looked slightly afraid, but he nodded.

"Have Sealand help you, all right? He's the only other one that remembers."

"All right, aru…"

We looked at each other, fully aware that if this didn't go our way, this might be the very last time we see each other.

"Now run along, you muppet." I told him, softly.

I started to go for the door.

"Wait!"

I turned back to the Chinese nation.

"What?"

"Y-you'll be back, right…? With France, aru?" He asked, looking worried.

I rolled my eyes, smiling a bit, trying to reassure him.

"Yes, yes, I'll be back, and you'd better have it mostly sorted out by the time I get back!" I told him.

"Time is ticking, you git."

Yao nodded again, then turned to leave.

"I'll soon you soon, aru."

I gave him a nod.

"I'll see you soon."

. . . .

"That jerk England, where did he go? Did he go after France? Is he coming back? Why didn't you—"

Sealand's obsessive questions got on Yao's nerves very quickly, and he held up a hand to silence him.

"Yes, he'll be back, aru, but I don't have the time to discuss it. No one has the time, aru." He informed.

The micro nation silenced himself.

Yao looked out the window, out at the red sky.  
The fire hadn't started coming down yet, but it wouldn't be long.

He prayed to god that Arthur and Francis would be back before it started raining fire.

"Aniki…" The small quiet voice of his sister Mei grabbed his attention.

He turned to her.

"Yes, aru?"

"Back when you got hurt…and were babbling about being some sort of nation…was that the truth? Are you really a nation, aniki?"

She looked at him with innocent eyes, so open, and scared.

She was ready to accept anything at this point.

"Yes, Mei… that was the truth." He sighed.

She blinked, confused.

"That's what Kiku, Xiao, and everyone has come to the conclusion of. We've all seen bits and pieces of the past, we think… in dreams, just like others have said. But how can this all _really _be true? It's unreal! I mean… we've lived actually lives, right? I remember middle school, and preschool, and all these normal things a human would remember… why are my memories mixed like this?" She babbled on, confused.

"Oh, Mei, aru… those human-like memories…they're effects coming from what happened to us, we aren't really the people we've made ourselves out to be." He tried to inform her as softly as he could.

"But it's so crazy…we don't even know what to believe anymore."

Silence.

"Do you not believe me, aru?"

"I…" She started slowly.

"I-I think I do…but then again, whats left for us to believe in? With all this happening…I think we're all clinging to the last shred of belief any of us could have left."

…Yao knew believing wasn't enough.  
They had to _remember. _

How the hell was he going to manage this?

Everyone was crowding around him, suffocating him with these questions, that he just didn't know how to answer.

Suddenly without warning, he wrapped his arms around Mei softly, holding onto her.

"It's okay, Mei…everything is going to be okay, aru."

. . . .

Looking at the sky for too long burnt my eyes.  
I tried to keep myself from looking at it, but I was paranoid, paranoid that it was going to come down on top of me, and it wasn't going to be long before it did.

I knew the way to Francis' house, but I figured he hadn't gone too far, once he saw that sky.

He'd either stopped where he stood, or turned back around, and was heading back to the school, towards me.

I needed to just get him, and run back to the school.

Oh god.

I couldn't stop panicking mentally.

On the outside I was stoic, but my thoughts wouldn't stop swirling out of control.  
What if I couldn't trigger his memories?

Nevermind just him alone, what if we couldn't trigger _anyone's _memories?

China, Sealand and I would live, but we'd lose everyone else?  
Due to this blasted curse, I may lose not just Francis for a second time, but _everyone. _

Alfred, Mattie, _all the nations.  
_I was going to lose them all, wasn't I?

I could feel tears welling up in my eyes.

No.  
I wasn't going to freaking cry.  
No.  
I was going to fix this!

I was going to _fix it. _

Yao would find some way to trigger everyone's memories, whether it resorted to hitting them all over the head, or bringing back a certain past event, he'd bring them back, _somehow!_

And I _knew _that I would be able to bring Francis back, even if he was stubborn, even if he rejected me over and over, I'd find some way to bring him back… right…?

"A-Arthzer..?"

There it was.  
that over the top French accent I knew.

"Francis…" I breathed a sigh of relief.

I'd only left the building 20 minutes before, and already I found him…

He stood there, staring at the sky, terror in his eyes.

I had a feeling he was starting to believe what I'd said to him earlier.

"W-what zhe 'ell…is going on 'ere…?" He asked, not taking his eyes off the sky.

I grabbed hold of his hand, trying to get him to look down at me, but his eyes were stubbornly locked on that traumatizing sky.

"Oi! Wanker! Why don't you freaking look at me?!" I demanded, shouting, in an attempt to get him to look down at him.

He didn't look at me.

I sighed, used my hands to tilt his head down, making him look at me.

His blue eyes looked as if horror had been shot into them.

"Shit…" I muttered under my breath.

Francis for a _long _time now had hated fire, for various reasons.  
It had never been his strong suit in the first place.

"We're going to die, aren't we…?" He asked quietly.

"No, goddammit, Francis…don't you _dare _say that!" I snapped back.

He started to look back at the sky again.

"No! You freaking _look _me in the eye, you git!"

I used one hand to hold onto his hand, and the other to keep him looking me in the eye.

Looking back up at that sky was not going to do him any good.

"We are _not _going to die…we're all going to be fine, _everyone _will be fine." I informed him, sternly.

"B-but—"

"Don't you dare even argue with me!"

Still holding onto his hand, I turned back, and started leading him back to the school.

"Everyone is going to be _fine." _

He didn't protest, so I was left leading him back to the school where everyone else was.

I started to grow more worried as I led him back.

I knew very well that I might have lied to him.

Not only him, but _myself. _  
I had no idea if we were going to be fine or not, we might very well be going down in flames.

Quite literally.

**_A/N: Hey guys! First off, I'm going to say that Francis' obvious fear of fire comes from a head canon of mine~! ^^; I always write him traumatized by fire, because of what happened to Joan Or Arc, I feel as though after what happened to her, the thought and sight of fire haunts him.  
Enough on that, I just wanted you to understand that!  
On another note.  
We are just chapters away from the end.  
I'm going to finish this story /this/ week. Thats right. This is the very last Tuesday update. I'm feeling a bit nostalgic. ;w; I'm going to start talking about my new story plans soon! But until next time, thanks for reading, please review if you can., please follow if you haven't already, and all that jazz~ I'll see you all soon!_**

~Raiden 


	23. Not Going Down Without A Fight

'It's okay, Mei…everything is going to be okay, aru.'

Those words swerved through Mei's head, and she couldn't stop thinking about them, repeating them, over and over again.

Those were the words that left her oldest brother's mouth, in reassurance of all her statements.  
But she felt like this had happened before.  
She felt like he'd uttered those words to her before.

At this point, Yao had already pulled away from her, and saw that look in her eye.  
She was confused, almost frozen in her thoughts.

"Mei…are..you okay, aru?" He asked, concerned.

It suddenly flashed before her, all these times she was being comforted by her older brother, starting from when she was a young nation, to as she grew older.

Those same words that he'd always tell her.

'It's okay.'

_It's okay._

"Aniki, you—me… Japan, he was…" She covered her mouth, as she trailed off, realizing what had just left her mouth.  
She'd just used "Japan" as a title, as if it was a name that belonged to someone.

It all slowly, started coming back.  
That one little trigger was enough.

Though, they were just words, they brought back many memories, and hard times she and her siblings had gone through.

"M-Mei…!" Yao's eyes widened, and he threw himself at her, nearly tackling her, wrapping his arms around her, holding onto her tightly.

"Y-you're back, you're back, aru…"

It all slowly registered in her mind, and at this point, tears began to run down her cheeks.

"Aniki…" She wrapped her arms around him returning the embrace.

"But why so sudden? It seemed like… that came out of nowhere, aru." He seemed confused, not ungrateful, but confused.

"That wasn't the first time you reassured me like that," she informed, a smile touching her lips.

Instantly, he figured out how he'd done that, and why it had worked, realization shot into his eyes.

It was only then the two, recently reunited siblings saw that the entire crowd had their eyes on them, in shock.

They weren't sure whether this was some sort of show the two of them were putting on, or if Mei had really truly just regained her memories right in front of them.

China's heart sunk, knowing that, it was just pure luck that had brought Mei back.  
He didn't know the right things to say to everyone.  
He didn't know what moment in their life they were have to bring back into proportion to bring them back.

He just didn't know.

"Mei, what just—"

"Xiao!" Taiwan cried out, throwing herself into the arms of Hong Kong, who looked confused.

"You can't be serious…" Xiao looked at the shorter Asian nation, who wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You can't really buy into all of this… you just _want _to believe it, because you're scared, humans… we cling to any belief we can, when in doubt, and we, here, at what looks like the end of the world, are most certainly in doubt. Therefore—"

"I had started to forget how much of an over-thinker you are, Xiao." Taiwan tilted her head innocently a smile threatening to spread across her mouth.

Before he could say anything in reply, she leaned in, softly kissing him on the lips.

. . . .

At this point, I had stopped talking.  
What was the point in talking? It would only make things worse.  
Francis' hand was in mine, and I continued to lead him down the path back towards the school.

I couldn't help but notice the heat.  
There was no way of denying it.

It was getting _closer. _

All I could think about was how I screwed up.

This was all my fault.  
It had all happened because of me.

Francis was going to die again, and for the second time it was going to be my fault.

_My fault.  
_Every single bloody thing, no matter how around the bush you are about it, it always ended up circling right around back to me.

I snuck at a peek at the increasingly reddening sky.

Yes.  
It was visibly closer.

And it could only go faster.

God, I hated this so much.  
This whole situation.

Everything.  
How did I always manage to screw everything up?

I hated this, I hated _me… _I just…

Oh, heavens, this was starting to sound pathetic.  
I had already started throwing myself a pity party, mentally, and we weren't even dead yet.

Was I being overly negative assuming we were going to die?  
No, I was just being realistic.

But… no…  
I'd told him…  
I'd basically _promised _him that we were going to be okay.

I was good at that, wasn't I?

Letting him down…

There.  
I stopped in front of the front steps of the school, we'd made it back.  
I stole one last glance at the sky.

I estimated about 30 more minutes at the most, until the entire thing came down.

I couldn't tell… would we all instantly be dead once it fell?

Or would it slowly burn us…?

I couldn't decide which was the better option.

Would it be better to just instantly die, and get all this over with?  
Or would it be better to have all the extra bits of time we could...keep trying...?

I grabbed the handle of the door, pulling it open, entering the school once again.

I dreaded re-entering the cafeteria.

I was afraid everything was going to be even more worse off than it was before I left.

The two of us were just in the hallway by the lockers, and I could hear all of their commotion already from where we were.

I looked over at Francis.  
He was less tense than he was before, but still silent as ever, as if the sight of that sky had shut him down completely.

This was the worst possible time for something like this to be happening.

I needed him to talk to me, I needed him to _remember. _

Shrugging it off, yet again, we walked down the hall.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door leading the both back into the cafeteria, joining the crowd.

"Arthur!" Yao called out to me.

He came bolting over to me, more hope in his eyes than I'd seen in forever.

"Mei, and Xiao… they're back, aru! And they're working on the others!" He started speaking in a excited, fast pace.

Just two bloody people…? That wasn't enough!  
Though, at the pace he was speaking at, and with so much hope in his tone, I would be in the wrong to cut him off at this point.

"I'd told myself earlier, that believing wasn't enough, and maybe that's true, aru… but somewhere… they _know… _every single one of them still have of bits and pieces of memories freely flowing through their heads, in a sense, they _do _remember it! They're just rejecting it, aru!" He went on, breathlessly.

"I don't really see your point…" I said, softly.

"What I'm _saying _is… maybe believing _is _enough, maybe if they succumb to those memories, they're so helplessly rejecting, and open their minds to it, it'll come back… and even if it doesn't all come back to them… they still have the bits and pieces that they do remember!"

"That's not the bloody point—"

"Maybe it _is." _Yao cut me right off.

"Your silly little spell just said they had to remember… right, aru? It never said that they had to remember _all _of it."

He seemed so self-assured over what he was saying.

"What the hell are you trying to imply, here…?" I demanded.

"I'm _implying_, that we're going to fine, we're not going down, Arthur! Not without a fight, aru."

**A/N: Okaaaay~ Here! I was starting to get lazy! ^^; I had writers block for just a bit, there.  
Before you guys say anything about it... I ship Taiwan x Hong Kong, okay? I know, it's weird! I just, really ship it... I'm sorry that I somehow managed to mix in there.  
Warning: There will only be two more updates after this.  
The next one I will post soon, and I lied, guys... before I said that the other post was the last Tuesday update... but... nurp. The very last chapter will be posted on Tuesday. Because thats fitting.  
Tuesday after all /is/ the update day.  
Just two more chapters away from the ending... what do you guys think will happen? Take a wild guess, if you want. I want to thank you guys so much, because I finally made it to 100 followers on this story! My dream come true! ;w; Please review if you can, and I'll be seeing you guys shortly. Until next time~ **

__


	24. Parting Words

I wasn't so sure about China's idea.  
Sure, it wasn't specific, saying that they _had _to regain all their memories.  
But I'm pretty sure that was a given.

I mean… oh god.  
I had no clue what I was talking about.

How did I know?  
I was just assuming what I'd assumed this entire time, and that was, that I had to get everyone to regain their memories.

But how in the bloody hell did I even know for sure?

Everyone was suddenly so insistent about these bits of pieces of their lost memories, but maybe they were just making it up?  
Maybe they _wanted _to make themselves believe in something like this.

They wanted to be self-assured that they were going to make it out of this asinine situation.

My eyes locked onto he clock on the wall.

_Tick  
tock  
tick  
tock  
tick  
tock._

Those seconds… every second it counted down, we were closer to facing the end.

The end of the curse, possibly the end of half of us.

For _most _of us.

Francis was the one I was _furthest _from bringing back into reality.  
Of course, the person who I'd _done _this all for was the one I couldn't snap back.

Two of Yao's siblings remembered completely, the rest of them at least acknowledged the bits and pieces that were obviously there.

Even Ivan, Alfred, and Mattie…

So many were owning up to all this, trying their best to believe, and trigger their full memories, but, not Francis.

Francis was still unresponsive, quiet, after seeing that traumatizing sky, and I didn't blame him.

This was all my fault.

But I was tired of playing the goddamned blame game with myself, it wasn't getting any of us anywhere.

Yao looked hopeful, he had explained all their positions earlier, enlightening them, slightly, trying to make things easier.

He seemed so optimistic, like he was 100% sure that everything was going to be fine.

But he had to be just as scared as me, right?

He didn't understand this curse anymore than I did… wasn't _he _playing the blame game?  
Wasn't he terrified?

"Arthur, aru…how much estimated time would you say before the sky comes down, completely?" Yao asked, as if this whole thing was nonchalant.

We were talking about the sky collapsing in, falling down to this godforsaken place, and he asked me that question, as if it didn't matter, as if it was nothing to dread.

I had to keep myself from snapping at him.

I didn't need the attention turned to me, they had other things to worry about other than an over the top British twat exploding, suddenly.

"I'd say about 20 minutes at most…" I answered, softly, making sure not to alarm anyone.

"How is this going to work, aru? Is the spell just going to end, and we're just going to be transported back into the real world?" He asked.

…Oh god, I couldn't deal with this.

Didn't he think if I knew, I would have told him?

"I don't bloody know, you twit!" I retorted.

"If I knew, I would have freaking _informed _you… use your logic."

Yao's eyes looked hurt for a moment, taken aback, but then they turned stern.

"Arthur, aru. You are behaving like a child. Being negative, and assuming the worst, blaming yourself…! That doesn't help _anyone_." He scolded.

"Don't you think I f*cking know that?!" I snapped, this time, suddenly uncaring if people stared.

I was stressing to the point of my own destruction.  
And what the hell did he expect from me? To be Mr. Cheerful, skipping around happily without a freaking care in the world?

I was scared!  
Scared this wasn't going to work.  
Scared that I was going to lose Francis again, and this time… not just him… Alfred, and Mattie… and everyone.

I was scared of losing everyone.

And Yao should have been at this point, as well!

"I know it isn't going to help anything, but I can't help it! Don't you understand that I'm terrified? This entire thing, it's my fault! Do you not understand that? I don't want to see everyone die! I… I couldn't take that…" I trailed off, my voice getting quieter.

"Dude, don't beat yourself up…we're going to be fine, ya know…we're going to beat this freaky over the top curse, the _American _way!" America suddenly cut into the conversation, giving one of his half-baked speeches that was meant to cheer me up, or something.

I suddenly realized… this was so much like the old Alfred… that was just like something he would have said, would have said before all this went down, before this curse… before all this.

He was going forward at this point, he wasn't turning into someone he wasn't anymore.

Somehow, this whole apocalypse scare had everyone willing to listen, willing to accept, it had put everyone on the right track.

"The American way, eh…?" I turned to him, and looked at him.

"That's just like you, you know… you always say the most ridiculous things."

"I'm just gonna take that as a compliment, dude."

"England!" Sealand's voice grabbed my attention.

He ran towards me, Lili close behind him, both of the younger nations had terrified looks in their eyes.

"Whoa, what is it…?" I demanded, dreading their words, seeing the looks they had on their faces.

"O-out the window… it's… did you see… it's… the fire, it's…"

Sealand could barely explain to me what was going, but as soon as I saw their expressions, I think I knew what was going on.  
I ran over to the window, and was terrified by what I saw.

Sparks flew through the sky, and the ground was catching fire…

Everything around us, was going straight to hell.

What seemed like spur of the moment, the building shook, causing an abrupt of screams from everyone around me.

It shook madly, forcing most people to the ground, if they didn't grab hold of one of the tables in time.

Peter clung to me, and Lili crawled across the floor, making her way towards Switzerland, who took her in his arms, as she instantly hid her face against his chest.

"W-what's happening…?!" Sealand shouted, trying to override the sound of the shaking.

I looked up.

I heard it, the ceiling… caving in… he fire was making its way into the building.

"Sh*t…" I cursed.

With a crashing sound, some of the ceiling caved in, revealing fire.  
Raging, thoughtless, merciless fire, spreading faster than I'd ever seen fire spread.

_This building wasn't going to last long._

"Dammit!" I snapped.  
I was frozen.  
I didn't know what to say.  
I didn't know what to do.

Nothing was changing!

The building was caving in, the fire was quickly spreading around us all, and we were all _still here. _

We were all going to freaking die, weren't we?

This place wasn't safe, and it wasn't any better outside.

But at least outside, there were places to run, here, where we were, we were more than likely to get cornered, and burned.

Plus, the air wasn't going to last forever.

Smoke already started to spread across the room.

"Everyone _get out _of the building!" I shouted, loud enough for everyone.

"Try to find some place safe, and run there, as fast as you can!"

I shouted out to all of them desperately.

Everyone was panicking, and without a single complaint, or objection, everyone was crowding around, trying to make it to the exit.

I got knocked around, by the other panicked nations who were trying to desperately escape.

I grabbed hold of Francis' hand, rushing towards the exit, it was no surprise, the whole school was quickly getting covered in these unstoppable flames.

The building was beginning to cave in around us, as there were only a few people left in the building at this point.

Everyone had taken off, gone their separate ways.

I took a deep breath, but only ended inhaling a bunch of unwelcomed smoke.

"Arthur, aru!" A desperate scream, that I instantly identified as China, called out to me.

My head turned, and my eyes locked onto Yao.

The lockers, in which had started tumbling over, falling from the walls, had fallen, over where Yao and his brother Kiku were, and had managed to pin Kiku down.

The flames were starting to burn at the fallen ceiling and rubble, starting to surround Yao, who was most obviously not going to abandon his brother, even if the flames were threatening to take his life.

"China!" My eyes widened.

Kiku had been knocked unconscious, and at this point, there was no way Yao was going to be able to unpin him.  
Nor, would he leave his little brother…

It hit me hard… that these two weren't going to make it.

Yao coughed, tears starting to run down his face, as he was still unable to free his little brother.

"Good luck, aru…" He smiled at me, though tears streamed down his cheeks.

No, no, no…. "good luck"… were those his last words to me?  
Was he trying to say good-bye…?

"N-no, wait… don't you _dare _say good-bye…I can help you!" I shouted, but as I spoke, the ceiling started to cave in more and more, leaving rubble, starting to block the way.

"No, aru… Kiku and I will be fine… you and France… get out of here! You did this… you caused all this, in an attempt to bring him back, don't you dare forget what you're here for…"

I coughed, as the smoke started to close around us, leaving us almost no room for breathing.

"Arthur!" He shouted sternly, as he saw I was frozen there.

"_Go! _Go now… we'll be okay, aru!"

I knew he was lying…  
I knew he wouldn't be okay…

I just knew it…

But he was right… I couldn't lose sight of why I was here.

I nodded at him, holding tightly to Francis' hand.

And with this, I took off down the hall.

This whole time, Francis had been silent, unresponsive, I didn't want to even imagine what was going on in his head at this moment.

"W-we're going to be okay… I promise…" I talked, spoke, trying to reassure him, though I wasn't even sure if he could hear me.

I couldn't see, making my way through this smoke, and fire.

But in that moment, that moment… I heard it crash… and I _knew _what I had dreaded had just happened.

The door… the exit… our last chance of leaving the building was blocked off, by rubble, as the building came down, faster and faster.

I panicked.

I looked everywhere, trying desperately to find another way out, my thoughts swirling uncontrollably.

I rushed around, blindly, pulling Francis behind me, though we were getting burned, and we were inhaling way more smoke than we were supposed to.

I was trying… trying to find a way out, _any _way out… but no… everyway was blocked off, by flames, rubble… you name it… and Francis and I were caught in the center of it.

Tears… tears started to fill my eyes, as I realized, I failed again.

I was going to die… Francis was going to die…  
And this wasn't a shot, where he barely lived long enough to feel anything.  
He and I were going to _burn. _  
And I knew for a fact, that this was a death, that he only faced in his nightmares.

For centuries, he'd hated fire, dreaded it… and now, thanks to me… he was going to _die _from it.

And not just die… die a _second _time.  
He was going to die again, and both times… both times, it was my fault.

I turned to him, my eyes blurred with tears that I was trying so desperately to hold back.  
I wiped them away, both of us going into fits of coughing.

His blue eyes were as scared as ever… _horrified.  
_And I probably looked just the same.

I was scared to die, I was scared to lose him again… I didn't want this to happen, and yet… it was minutes away.

I choked on a sob, trying to keep myself from crying just didn't work.

"F-Francis…?" I whispered, as he still wouldn't answer me.

I wrapped my arms around my neck, and hid my face in his chest.

"C-Can you hear me…? P-please… just… answer me…?" I weakly questioned him.

Silence.

"Dammit…"

He was trembling, and I'm sure I was too.

I looked up at him, and forced him to look at me, tilting his head down.

"I'm s-so… sorry… this is my fault… _all _my fault…"

His blue eyes met mine, and they locked onto each other, we stared into each other eyes.

His eyes were blank, with that small tint of horror that was visible.

I blinked away tears, letting them stream down my face, as the two of us didn't break away from each other.

"I-I'm so sorry… I.. I-I let you down again…all I've ever bloody done is let you down…" I choked on my own tears, stuttering, as I looked into those eyes.

A flash of recognition, crossed them.

"A-Angleterre..?"  
My eyes widened when he murmured my name.

"Y-yes… Yes, it's me…!" Out of relief, I wrapped my arms around him, holding onto him tightly, and this time, instead of him just standing there limply, his arms wrapped right around me in return.

"V-Vhats...'appening…? V-Vhats going on…?" He asked softly.

"I-I'm so sorry…I couldn't save you… I-I couldn't even get you to even _remember…" _I felt so awful, giving in, admitting that I'd failed, admitting that… we were going to die.

"R-remember…? I…" He trailed off.  
"Non! A-Angelterre, I… I remember, desole… I'm sorry… I'm sorry zhat it took me so long…"

_The fire._

It must have bloody triggered him back into reality!  
For the first time, in a long time, I was talking to the _actual _Francis, not just someone with roughly the same personality, with fake memories.

The Francis that I'd grown up with, and fallen in love with…

"O-oh my god, Francis…" I was barely able to believe it.

"I'm so sorry…" I said it again, even though I'd said it a billion times already.

This time _he _forced me to look at him, tilting my chin up, our eyes meeting.

Tears streamed down my face, as the flames got even closer to us.

"Don't apologize, mon ami…none of zhis is your fault." He informed.

I knew he was terrified, but he was holding it together for _me._

I pressed my forehead against his, and we held onto each other.

He closed his eyes, and I did the same.

I could feel the heat getting increasingly closer.

"F-Francis…?" I asked, weakly.

"Oui…?"

"I-I love you… I love you so much…" I told him, choking on tears.

There was a silence between us, and then… his lips were against mine, kissing me softly.  
The kiss was short, and sweet, and we kept our foreheads pressed together, clinging to each other desperately, out of fear…

Our eyes met one last time.

"I love you too, Angleterre…"

And with these parting words, the flames closed in on the two of us.

**A/N: Aaaaand, the end.  
No, no, I'm kidding. Theres ****_one _****more chapter! It's late here, Tuesday, at 1:00am in the morning, and I only just now finished this, and edited it.  
The final chapter will be posted tonight, as in Tuesday night.  
This will be our last Tuesday together, guys... please review, and I'll see you all again with the final update, soon. Pleas review if you can, and until then~ bye, guys. **


	25. Reset

Now, before anyone starts crying, I want you all to know… I had the _happiest _ending possible.  
Yes, I did get swallowed up by merciless flames, flames that _I _myself, had caused, but I had gotten to see Francis, the _real _Francis, one last time.

I was able to tell him how I felt about him, and my feelings were returned.

Maybe, I died… but I died in the arms of the one I loved more than anything, or anyone else in the world.  
The one who was there for me my entire childhood, not _just _my childhood, he'd been there for me _my whole life. _

Francis and I had been to hell and back again together, and he still always managed to stay with me.

Even when it wasn't his best option.

Though, it was hard for me to admit to, my pride, usually blocking my way, I really _did _love him.  
It might sound like one of America's horrible romantic movies, but I think I might have _always _loved him.

And I always _would _love him.

All right… I know you all must be wondering, how, if I died… how in the bloody hell am I saying all this?

Fine, the jigs up, I suppose.

It's a valid thing to wonder, so if I _really _have to be truthful about it… I never died.

. . . . .

I clung to Francis, as the heat of the flames got closer and closer to us.

We exchanged our parting words, and I shut my eyes tightly, clinging to him, as I felt the flames close in on us.

I didn't want to think about it.

I didn't want to think about the flames that were inevitably going to burn us to death.

I thought back to when we were children, how I'd run away from my older brothers, and though I told myself over and over again, that I wasn't going to run to Francis for comfort _again…_

I always somehow found myself with him anyway.

We'd spend hours out in the forest together, and he'd always complain that I was going too fast, or how I was going to hurt myself, but I never listened to him.

Oddly enough, it was always _him, _who'd end up twisting his ankle, or tripping, because he wasn't familiar with the forest like I was.

The forest was more my home than anything.

I remember how he'd always tell me his fairytales, like Cinderella, and Little Red Riding Hood, just pretty little happy stories, and I always retorted with something that I was purposely trying to frighten him with.

I wished more than anything, though, it was hard, and I was forced to grow up quickly, that he and I could be there again, in that time where hardly anything seemed to matter.

I realized, I'd been thinking so hard about it, trying to ignore the heat of the flames, that I hadn't noticed, that the flames weren't even there at all.

I opened my eyes, gasping when I realized, that I was back in the room, the room where I'd cast the spell in the first place, and Francis wasn't there.

What the hell was this?  
My mind instantly tried to tell me, that maybe I'd just managed to just dream the whole thing up?  
Maybe none of it ever happened.

Maybe I'd never cast the spell in the first place?

No, that wasn't it…  
maybe I'd been thinking so hard, trying to forget about my inevitable death, that I'd mentally tried to bring myself back?

The third option in my head, the one that seemed too good to be true…

Was that, it had _worked. _

Francis had regained his memories, which was the main goal in the first place, and once that was achieved, we were sent back.

It was so last minute, and I had been _sure _we were going to die back there!  
But… could it be possible?!

That once the main goal of the spell was achieved it had sent us back?

This was where I had been before it all happened, so it had sent us back to where we were…?

Wait, America had been with me… trying to stop me the day I cast it.

So, did that mean…

"Britain, dude!"

Yup, that was his voice, all right…

"Alfred…?" I demanded, my voice soft, quiet…

"Yeah, I—"

Without warning, I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around him, which was _very _out of character for me.

He was shocked for a moment, but he ended up wrapping a single arm around me, in reply to my outburst.

"Whoa, you're not usually this affectionate… did something happen?" He asked, sounding more curious than he did concerned.

…He was acting as if he was oblivious to the whole thing.

"I came here to tell you something, but… I kinda forgot what it was I wanted to say." He laughed, nervously, obviously feeling awkward owning up to that.

"Weird, I kinda feel like it was important, too."

I looked at the clock.  
It was around the same time it was, that same day, when I had cast the spell.

Had it all just really… reset?

"Y-you don't remember…?" I asked, timidly.

"Dude, I can't remember what I had for breakfast this morning, how do you expect me to remember some vague thing, that I was obviously supposed to remember?" I asked.

He _really _didn't remember, did he?

A thought crossed my mind.

Kiku and Yao… were they okay? Were they transported back after the spell ended?

I had that sick image engraved in my head, of Kiku pinned to the ground with his older brother, trying to free him, Yao, in tears… flames surrounding them.

"Alfred, have you… talked to Kiku as of lately?" I asked, knowing that the two of them were pretty okay friends.

"Uh… yeah, like, just the other day, why?" He retorted.

"I'm seriously starting to worry about you, why are you asking so many weird questions?"

I couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement, when I finally started to register, that maybe… maybe that horrible spell had worked.

Maybe I'd fixed everything!

I opened the door, and took off running down the hall of my house, without a word to Alfred.

"Hey—Arthur, where the hell are you going? You're seriously freaking me out!"

"Shut up, you bloody twat!" I shouted back at him, though, there was a painfully obvious smile on my face when I said it, and it was easy to know I was smiling through my voice.

Ignoring Alfred, I picked up my phone.

This was the moment of truth that I almost didn't want to face.

I slowly dialed Francis' number.

_It rang. _

_Again._

_One last time._

It rang three times before someone picked up the phone.

"Bonjour?" I heard the voice on the other line answer.

"Francis!" I exclaimed, relieved, almost not believing it when I heard him answer.

"Oh, Angleterre…" He started.

"I should 'ave guessed it vould be you."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, Frog?" I demanded.

"Don't pull zhat with me! You only call when you eithzer vant somezhing from moi, or I've done somezhing wrong, so which is it?" He asked, though, I could hear his light-hearted voice he always used with me, as if to say, he didn't mind it when I yelled at him.

"O-oh… it's neither…" I answered, slowly.

"Oui? Is zhat so?" He asked.

"Is zhere a cause for concern? Oh, non! Angleterre is calling moi for no reason, 'e must be plotting somzhing, vhatever shall I do?"

"Don't mock me! You stupid bloody frog! I _have _a reason to call you…" I blurted.

"'Mm? And vhats zhat?" He asked.

"I just…"

There was a pause.

"Now I'm _actually _starting to vorry about you, you know? Is somezhing wrong?" He asked.

"Oh, n-no! Nothing at all… everything is fine…" I informed.

"If you say so, mon amour, zhough you're not acting like it's "nothzhing at all"…"

"No, believe me, everything is perfectly fi—did you just call me "my love"?! I'll bloody murder you!" I cut myself off, mid-sentence when it registered that he'd called me "mon amour".

"Ohonhonhon~ go ahead, zhen, try and murder moi through zhe phone." He mocked.

"Eithzer vay, you just admitted you understand French, seeing 'ow you noticed zhat I called you zhat."

My face turned red.

"Nonsense! I do not understand the language of frogs!" I retorted.

"Oh, but you do~"

"I do _not, _you wanker!"

And so continued a normal conversation between the two of us.  
As it turned out, no one, except me… remembered that the spell had ever happened in the first place.

Somehow _that _seemed slightly familiar.

But no matter how you looked at it, I had _won.  
_I'd done what I'd began to think was impossible.

Even if I was the only one with memories of the crisis, I was okay with that.

Some memories were better left broken.

**__**

A/N: Oh my gosh, guys. Thats the end. ;w; I'll admit, I was getting a bit tired of writing this story, just because I've been writing it for so long, and I have so many other ideas I want to be putting into action, but now that the last chapter is finally done... I feel nostalgic, and a bit sad about it.  
This was my /longest/ running Hetalia fanfiction ever, and I couldn't have written it without you guys' support, and therefore, I'm going to do the cheesy thing, that a lot of writers do, and do personal "thank you"

First, I have to thank my best friend in real life, Sage, aka Celina Wood, who has /always/ supported me in my writing, assuring me that it's good, even if I didn't want to believe it was, and not only that, she reads /all/ my stuff, even if shes not reading this at the moment because shes sorta grounded. ^^; I love you, and you know that, because I say that all the time! Hehe~

I also need to thank TwoSidesOfACrazyCoin, who always gives me /very/ enthusiastic reviews that usually end with the words "thank you!" I want to formally return the favor and say, no, thank /you./

Also, MaskedRomeo, who I can always count on to give good, detailed reviews. Your reviews helped me out a /lot/ because you not only said what you liked about it, but you critiqued my work, and in the end made me an all around better writer. Thank you so much. And, as a side note, for the longest time, I thought your user name was MaskedROMANO.  
Because I'm obviously not good at paying attention! x'D

And now I want to formally thank EVERYONE who read and supported this story, I'm sorry that I couldn't name all of you one by one, but... that would take more time than I'm willing to put into this authors note.  
Again, thank you SO much for tagging along for the ride. You're all /amazing./ I hope to see some of you returning to see my future work, but until that happens, this is good-bye.  
Thank you all so much, this was All Those Broken Memories.

~Raiden 


End file.
